I am collecting the data; do I need to graph it and set an aimline?
Visual representation of data is critical. It is much easier to communicate about student progress if you have a picture or visual representation of performance. It is very difficult to meaningfully talk about a list of numbers. Setting an aimline, or goal line, is an important part of progress monitoring. When making instructional decisions about student performance, you need to discuss student progress relative to a goal. For example, is student performance parallel to the aimline without ever reaching above it? Is student performance considerably below the aimline? Overall, the aimline is the gauge for discussing student progress. Using an aimline helps you describe the progress students are making relative to a specific goal.
