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3 Data Collection Shortcuts Every Special Educator Needs

Between IEPs, instruction, observations, and behavior plans, it’s easy for progress data to get lost in sticky notes or scattered notebooks. The good news? With the right shortcuts, you can make data collection simple, consistent, and time-saving.
By Lisa Kathman, M.S. CCC-SLP

3 Data Collection Shortcuts Every Special Educator Needs

Between IEPs, instruction, observations, and behavior plans, it’s easy for progress data to get lost in sticky notes or scattered notebooks. The good news? With the right shortcuts, you can make data collection simple, consistent, and time-saving.


1. Keep one consistent place for quick notes

Whether you prefer digital or paper, the key is consistency. Having a single, dedicated spot ensures your data isn’t scattered across sticky notes, scraps of paper, or memory. If you use paper, try a slim notebook you carry between sessions. If you’re digital, keep a notes app or Kit open and ready for quick entry.


2. Use shortcodes or symbols to log progress faster

Writing full sentences for every response eats up valuable time. Shortcodes and symbols let you capture performance quickly and consistently, while still giving you a clear picture later.

Here’s a refined shorthand framework you can adapt if you’re logging on paper or in a basic digital doc:

  • + = Correct (goal met as written, whether independent or with cues)

  • = Incorrect, no support given

  • +V3, +G2, +M = Correct with specified support (# cues if applicable)

  • –V, –M, etc. = Incorrect even with support

  • +SC = Correct after self-correction

  • +I = Independent beyond goal expectations (when goal specifies cues but none were needed)

👉 Examples:

  • Goal = “With verbal prompts…” and student answered after 3 prompts → +V3

  • Goal = “With verbal prompts…” but student didn’t need any → +I

  • Goal = “Independently…” and student answered correctly → +

  • Student got it wrong even after a model → –M

  • Student answered incorrectly, then self-corrected → +SC

  • Mixed performance across 5 trials: +, +V2, +I, –G, +SC

This kind of coding makes your data quick to capture and clear to interpret later — and if you’d rather not manage codes at all, Kit for Teams can handle this for you.


3. Block weekly review time

The biggest time-saver is actually pausing to organize what you’ve collected. Scheduling 15–20 minutes weekly to review, organize, and reflect on your data means you’re never scrambling before an IEP meeting or report. Put it on your calendar like any other appointment.


The Kit Advantage

Here’s the best part: with Kit, you don’t have to memorize or manage any codes at all.

Kit’s built-in data collection tools do the heavy lifting for you:

  • Notes for quick text entries

  • Calculators & custom calculators for consistent trial logging

  • Levels of assistance & cueing options built right in (no extra key to remember)

  • Automatic graphs generated instantly

  • Export options to share data with your team or submit for Medicaid billing

Instead of juggling sticky notes or decoding shorthand, you get clean, organized, and shareable data — ready when you need it.

👉 Start your free trial today and see how much easier real-time data can be.


Additional Resources

Lisa Kathman, M.S. CCC-SLP
Lisa Kathman is a veteran school-based SLP and the co-founder of SLP Toolkit, the parent company of Kit for Teams, and also co-founder of Bright Ideas Media, an inclusive, educator-led continuing education company. After two decades in the field — including serving as lead SLP in Arizona’s largest school district — Lisa is on a mission to simplify the day-to-day work of special education providers. She nerds out over data, documentation, and anything that helps special education teams feel more confident and less overwhelmed.

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