Is there such thing as D.Y.I. Data Driven Instruction?

If a school isn't data driven, are there ways that a teacher can use the strategies in their own classroom?  While reading "Driven By Data," I kept wondering how a teacher would use data if the school district was not also "driven by data." Then there was a little section that did say that if this was the case that teachers need to take matters into their own hands and focuses on assessments, analysis, and action.

               Teachers need to assess their students all the time in different ways and forms.  Two of the most important forms of assessment are in-the- moment assessment/ formative assessment, which covers material the students are currently learning as well as interim  assessment, which covers all material covered to that point of the test.  The next step is for teachers is analyze how well the students are learning and doing on the assessments. If teacher notice another teacher is getting better results from their students, then the struggling teacher should learn from the better teacher and use some of their ideas.

               Also the data driven teacher needs to be able to understand the analysis and take action to fix. One great way for teachers to put action to the analysis is to see where students are struggling and have notes open to remind them and question these students during class. This way the students have time in class to practice where they are struggling. Another great method that is hardly, if ever used in the classroom, is to divide the class into groups so that the students that understand the concept work independently , while the  few students that are struggling get attention from the teacher in a smaller setting.  Finally, teachers can get feedback from their students on how they feel they are doing in class. Teachers can give students a handout and after the handout is complete and answered are reviewed, there can be a student reflection handout. This reflection hand out can demonstrate the concept  being taught in each question, if the student got it correct or not , and why they got it wrong (careless mistake or didn't know how to solve). This is a great idea to do because it has the students take ownership of their learning.

               However, while it is said teaching data on your own can be done, how realistic is it? Teachers have little time to teach the students and little time to plan and grade students work to start. Without teaching taking over your whole life, are these strategies discussed in the book realistic and doable?  They say so, but I am not 100% convinced.