Wednesday, July 21, 2010
2010 MCAS and AYP Data Review/Release Schedule
A detailed review/release schedule of 2010 MCAS and AYP data is now available from the ESE. For additional information, please see the recent press release from Commissioner Chester.
Monday, July 19, 2010
...OK, so what is SIF? Should my district look into the SIF grant opportunity?
What is SIF? Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) is a "data exchange standard for ensuring that school software applications - such as library, cafeteria, transportation and student information management programs - share data and work together seamlessly and effectively." (Thanks to Karen Carpenter at DESE for this simple definition and the information that follows!)
Why should MA schools be excited about SIF? SIF will transform the process of collecting data from the current collections driven process to a seamless automated process. This new process will provide the ESE and districts with consistent, timely, valuable and accessible data in the Education Data Warehouse.
What is the SIF grant opportunity? Fund Code 120, the Streamlining District Data Systems grant (Round 2), is being offered in order to encourage a wide variety of districts to pilot the implementation of SIF solutions. You do NOT need to have participated in Round 1 to apply for Round 2.
The grant application deadline is August 12, 2010. There will be an online technical assistance workshop THIS WEDNESDAY, July 21, at 2:00 pm. For more information or to answer any questions please contact Karen Carpenter, LEA SIF Project Manager, at 781-338-6847 or by email at kcarpenter@doe.mass.edu.
Why should MA schools be excited about SIF? SIF will transform the process of collecting data from the current collections driven process to a seamless automated process. This new process will provide the ESE and districts with consistent, timely, valuable and accessible data in the Education Data Warehouse.
What is the SIF grant opportunity? Fund Code 120, the Streamlining District Data Systems grant (Round 2), is being offered in order to encourage a wide variety of districts to pilot the implementation of SIF solutions. You do NOT need to have participated in Round 1 to apply for Round 2.
The grant application deadline is August 12, 2010. There will be an online technical assistance workshop THIS WEDNESDAY, July 21, at 2:00 pm. For more information or to answer any questions please contact Karen Carpenter, LEA SIF Project Manager, at 781-338-6847 or by email at kcarpenter@doe.mass.edu.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
What's the SIMS Expansion All About?
Approximately 75 districts statewide participated during the 2009-2010 school year in the "Expanded SIMS" data collection pilot program. Starting this fall (2010), all districts will be required to collect additional data in a similar manner. But what data is being collected and how will this information be used?
The "Expanded SIMS" title is a bit of a misnomer, since the actual 52 SIMS fields that are currently collected three times per year (October, March, and June) have really not changed.
What is new, however, is the frequency of EPIMS data collection (now three times per year, like SIMS) as well as the new Student Course Schedule (SCS) data collection (also collected three times per year).
The SCS contains 13 new data elements connecting teachers, students, and courses K-12. Many Student Information System vendors have been working to implement processes to facilitate this data collection process, although it will be a significant project for district data managers (especially the first time!). The good news is that SCS information will allow for MCAS reports for 2011-2012 to include course- and teacher-specific reports which are currently not available.
For additional information, please visit the SIMS Expansion page on the ESE Web site. Additional information is being communicated this summer to districts by the Data Collection folks from the ESE.
The "Expanded SIMS" title is a bit of a misnomer, since the actual 52 SIMS fields that are currently collected three times per year (October, March, and June) have really not changed.
What is new, however, is the frequency of EPIMS data collection (now three times per year, like SIMS) as well as the new Student Course Schedule (SCS) data collection (also collected three times per year).
The SCS contains 13 new data elements connecting teachers, students, and courses K-12. Many Student Information System vendors have been working to implement processes to facilitate this data collection process, although it will be a significant project for district data managers (especially the first time!). The good news is that SCS information will allow for MCAS reports for 2011-2012 to include course- and teacher-specific reports which are currently not available.
For additional information, please visit the SIMS Expansion page on the ESE Web site. Additional information is being communicated this summer to districts by the Data Collection folks from the ESE.
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