The Massachusetts Data Quality Program is designed to help both data collectors and data users understand and address the issues that may affect the production of high-quality data. It provides lesson guides, instructional handouts, and material tailored to the specific needs of the K-12 schools and districts. A video describing the importance of data quality is available online for your reference.
As stated on the ESE Web site, "The Data Quality Program is now required for all districts and the program will be held on a regular basis throughout the state." A new round of dates for this one-day training has been posted online at http://www.doe.mass.edu/conference/?ConferenceID=1749 (as of this posting, the most convenient session for readers in the Southeast region of Massachusetts may be January 15 in Milton.)
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Friday, December 6, 2013
Edwin is the Man
"Edwin is the Man." This
quote comes from a blog post from The Data Quality Campaign (DQC). DQC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, national
advocacy organization based in Washington, DC, and they sing the praises of
Edwin. In the post, there is also a
link to a video piece about EWIS (Massachusetts' Early Warning Indicator System) featuring commentary from several Massachusetts districts. The Data is Power video is definitely worth a look as well!
I also learned this week about this
jam-packed graphic from the DQC folks about data use, inviting you to “Follow
one teacher, Ms. Bullen, and one of her students, Joey, through the school year
to see how data help teachers, parents, and others make sure students are
meeting education goals.”
Time is a precious commodity but if you have a few minutes as the week
winds down, definitely check these out!
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Edwin Analytics Update
Here is a summary of yesterday's ESE Edwin Analytics User Group WebEx (thanks to my Data Specialist colleague in Greater Boston, Paula O'Sullivan, for this update as I was unable to attend the WebEx.)
Teacher Access - As presented at the Edwin Workshops in November, ESE is doing a "soft" rollout of teacher access to Edwin Analytics.
Local Assessments Data Uploads - ESE is revisiting the idea of allowing districts to upload local assessment data, particularly data from "off-the-shelf" assessments.
New User Guide - This will be posted any day now, along with a new Security & Access Guide.
Housekeeping - ESE is retiring the remaining references to Education Data Warehouse, EDW and DW. The new email address is edwinanalytics@doe.mass.edu, although the old address still works as well). Security role names have changed (e.g., DW 211 School User is now Edwin Analytics School Administrator).
Cubes - A basic demonstration of the cube functionality was provided.
The Edwin Analytics User Group WebEx is held the first Wednesday of the month at 11a.m. and the third Wednesday of the month at 2p.m. ESE sends email reminders to several lists including the Edwin Analytics Contacts as identified in Directory Administration and to subscribers of the EDWusers email list.
To subscribe to the EDWusers list:
Please send an email to imailsrv@list1.doe.mass.edu
with the following text—and only this text—in the body of the message:
subscribe listname your_full_name (e.g., subscribe edwusers john smith).
Teacher Access - As presented at the Edwin Workshops in November, ESE is doing a "soft" rollout of teacher access to Edwin Analytics.
- At this point, access is available only to those participants of the workshops, but districts can email the Edwin Analytics team to request access if they did not go to a workshop. The security role is "Global Access Teacher" and should NOT be assigned in combination with any other Edwin Analytics role.
- There are three reports available to teachers. These reports are also available to administrators in the Classroom folder.
- Teachers can view the data for last year's students, and for two years prior. At this point, teachers can not run the reports for their current students, but eventually that will be available for districts that have implemented SIF. Manual student claiming does not include updates to teacher reports for current students.
Local Assessments Data Uploads - ESE is revisiting the idea of allowing districts to upload local assessment data, particularly data from "off-the-shelf" assessments.
New User Guide - This will be posted any day now, along with a new Security & Access Guide.
Housekeeping - ESE is retiring the remaining references to Education Data Warehouse, EDW and DW. The new email address is edwinanalytics@doe.mass.edu, although the old address still works as well). Security role names have changed (e.g., DW 211 School User is now Edwin Analytics School Administrator).
Cubes - A basic demonstration of the cube functionality was provided.
The Edwin Analytics User Group WebEx is held the first Wednesday of the month at 11a.m. and the third Wednesday of the month at 2p.m. ESE sends email reminders to several lists including the Edwin Analytics Contacts as identified in Directory Administration and to subscribers of the EDWusers email list.
To subscribe to the EDWusers list:
Please send an email to imailsrv@list1.doe.mass.edu
with the following text—and only this text—in the body of the message:
subscribe listname your_full_name (e.g., subscribe edwusers john smith).
Monday, November 25, 2013
District and School Report Cards
The annual District and School Report Cards are now available in the Profiles section of the ESE web site, on the Accountability tab for any given school or district. There is also a Report Card search box that has been added to the main Profiles page. This year there is a Report Card Overview and also a
Complete Report Card. The "Overview" page connects a variety of questions to the
data, including:
- How is our school doing overall?
- How does our school's achievement over time compare to the district and the state?
- How does our school's growth compare to the district and the state?
- How does our school's enrollment compare to the district and the state?
- How do our school's teachers and classrooms compare to the district and the state?
- How is our school doing on other important measures?
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
PARCC Field Tests and the MCAS
As you may know, many questions have surfaced recently regarding the PARCC Field Test and the Spring 2014 MCAS. ESE has heard these questions and has put together resources related to field-test logistics, including a timeline and information related to future accountability determinations.
Additional details are contained within a recent memo to superintendents at http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=7849. Please note that the conference call registration and exemption surveys links in the memo are intended for superintendent use only. Other leaders who are not superintendents should coordinate with their superintendent as ESE has requested one phone line per district for the conference calls.
Additional details are contained within a recent memo to superintendents at http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=7849. Please note that the conference call registration and exemption surveys links in the memo are intended for superintendent use only. Other leaders who are not superintendents should coordinate with their superintendent as ESE has requested one phone line per district for the conference calls.
Postsecondary / College and Career Readiness Resources
ESE has released a new DART (District Analysis and Review Tool) that contains a range of high school, postsecondary, and career readiness data. Included in the tool are demographics, high school indicators, high school performance, program of study, postsecondary education outcomes, and career development education over a number of school years. DART helps users to find "comparable" schools and allows them to contrast their school's progress on student outcomes to similar schools and the state. To access DART–Success after High School, go to www.doe.mass.edu/apa/dart.
In addition, there are ongoing resources available from ESE on a variety of topics related to College and Career Readiness, including a February webinar on Graduation and Dropout rate data.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=7847
In addition, there are ongoing resources available from ESE on a variety of topics related to College and Career Readiness, including a February webinar on Graduation and Dropout rate data.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=7847
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
2012-13 Dropout Data Available for Review
ESE announced last week that the 2012-13 dropout data is available for districts to review. Dropout rates are factored into ESE's accountability determinations for high schools and districts, so now is your chance to ensure the data are accurate! The announcement from ESE is as follows:
"ESE has posted 2012-13 Annual Dropout data to the Security Portal for districts to review and make corrections to individual student data. Aggregate rates have not yet been provided. ESE will not accept corrections through email or over the phone. The only mechanism to make corrections to these data is through the October SIMS submission. ESE will make the final rates publicly available in January 2014 once the October 2013 SIMS data have been certified and the calculations have been completed.
Data are located under "Dropout Data Summary Report" on the Security Portal at https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/. The application can be accessed with a username, password, and the SIMS Data User role. Should you or your staff have any questions on the correction process, please contact your District Support Specialist. A list of those individuals is located at http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/fts.html. The deadline to correct these dropout data coincides with the October SIMS submission deadline, which is November 7."
As a reminder, dropout rate is one of the core indicators in the Progress and Performance Index (for districts and high schools). All groups with dropout data (districts, schools, and subgroups) are expected to halve the gap between their annual dropout rate, if one exists, and a rate of zero percent by the 2016-17 school year. For accountability determinations in any given year, the annual; dropout rate for the prior year is used. Next year's (2014) PPI will utilize the dropout rate data from 2012-2013 (this allows ESE to use a data set that has been thoroughly reviewed by district and ESE staff).
"ESE has posted 2012-13 Annual Dropout data to the Security Portal for districts to review and make corrections to individual student data. Aggregate rates have not yet been provided. ESE will not accept corrections through email or over the phone. The only mechanism to make corrections to these data is through the October SIMS submission. ESE will make the final rates publicly available in January 2014 once the October 2013 SIMS data have been certified and the calculations have been completed.
Data are located under "Dropout Data Summary Report" on the Security Portal at https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/. The application can be accessed with a username, password, and the SIMS Data User role. Should you or your staff have any questions on the correction process, please contact your District Support Specialist. A list of those individuals is located at http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/fts.html. The deadline to correct these dropout data coincides with the October SIMS submission deadline, which is November 7."
As a reminder, dropout rate is one of the core indicators in the Progress and Performance Index (for districts and high schools). All groups with dropout data (districts, schools, and subgroups) are expected to halve the gap between their annual dropout rate, if one exists, and a rate of zero percent by the 2016-17 school year. For accountability determinations in any given year, the annual; dropout rate for the prior year is used. Next year's (2014) PPI will utilize the dropout rate data from 2012-2013 (this allows ESE to use a data set that has been thoroughly reviewed by district and ESE staff).
Friday, September 20, 2013
State Releases 2013 MCAS School and District Results
Today the state released the official 2013 MCAS School and District Results. Information is available in a multitude of places:
- Today's Press Release
- The ESE Accountability Web Page now includes an Excel file with commendation school information as well as level/PPI information for all districts and schools by region. This page also contains a variety of support documents around school and district accountability, including some short informative videos about the accountability system, PPI, and percentiles.
- School and District Profiles have also been updated to include 2013 MCAS information under the "Assessment" and "Accountability" tabs for a school, district, or the state.
- Edwin Analytics reports in the Security Portal have also been updated with the 2013 official data.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Exploring Classroom Growth Data
The "Exploring Classroom Growth Data" activity I posted last fall invites educators to engage with student growth and performance data by creating a scatter plot for a given group of students. I've used this activity extensively with teachers throughout the year and I know others out there have done the same. I wanted to post a link back to the activity and accompanying instructions for those who would like to use it this fall to help educators explore and engage with student growth data at the classroom level.
http://southeastdata.blogspot.com/2012/08/exploring-classroom-growth-data.html
http://southeastdata.blogspot.com/2012/08/exploring-classroom-growth-data.html
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Looking at Student Roster Reports
In Edwin Analytics, the "Students, Staff & Classroom" tab contains a number of student-level MCAS reports. Some of these reports are "roster" reports which means that they display data for a given list of students in a tabular format, usually one line of data per student. Student reports that are not in "roster" format generally display a page or two of data for each student.
The students included in a report can be selected in one of two ways - by using filters (such as "all ELL students" or "all students who scored Advanced") OR by selecting students from a list (such as a teacher's class list from last year, from their class coming in this year, etc.) There is a document in the Edwin Analytics handouts folder that provides further instructions.
Some of these roster reports include:
And here is one more "roster" report that I had not seen until a few days ago when a colleague shared it with me. If it is new to you as well you may want to check it out, particularly if you're interested in a roster report of student performance by question type or standard.
The students included in a report can be selected in one of two ways - by using filters (such as "all ELL students" or "all students who scored Advanced") OR by selecting students from a list (such as a teacher's class list from last year, from their class coming in this year, etc.) There is a document in the Edwin Analytics handouts folder that provides further instructions.
Some of these roster reports include:
- IT616 Test Item Analysis Roster - provides test item data as well as achievement level, scaled score, raw score, SGP, % correct, and CD status for each student in a list. One challenge with this report is that the font is VERY small if it is printed on a single sheet of paper. I have found that if you save your report as a PDF file, Adobe Reader has a "poster" option that will allow you to print the file larger across multiple pages. This report is single-subject (ELA, math OR science.)
- PE617 Student MCAS Roster - provides a list of students and their scaled scores, achivement levels, and SGPs for all tested subjects (ELA, math, AND science) on a single report. This report is very useful if you would like to look at performance on all 3 tests for a given group of students.
- GR602 Student Growth Roster - provides MCAS scaled score information for 3 years of ELA and math performance, plus the most recent year's SGP for each student. This is very useful for examining individual student performance over time in a compact way.
And here is one more "roster" report that I had not seen until a few days ago when a colleague shared it with me. If it is new to you as well you may want to check it out, particularly if you're interested in a roster report of student performance by question type or standard.
- PE606 (Student Assessment Detail) report has traditionally been one of those reports that was a page or two per student. However, there is now a "roster" option on the initial prompt page. If you choose this, you'll get a report similar to IT616, except it will give information by question type and standard rather than by item.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Edwin Analytics Workshop Handouts and Tips
As you know, the Education Data Warehouse has now been merged into Edwin Analytics, and by now you may have logged in to run reports with your preliminary 2013 MCAS data. The interface hasn't changed significantly, and in recent workshops the participants have commented that the speed and ease of use in the new system are excellent.
One difference you may have noticed is that the "My Folders" area is not easy to find. "My Folders" is an excellent place to save copies of reports, especially reports that may contain student-level data, as it is extremely secure (unlike a memory stick!) and accessible from any computer.
If you do not see a "My Folders" tab at the very top level of tabs (to the right of "Public Folders"), you need to set the My Folders tab to appear. To do this, click on the "Tab Menu" button to the left of the EOE tab at the very top of the page and select "Add Tabs". Check the box next to "My Folders", then the green arrow in the middle to move the selection over to the right. Click OK. You should now see the My Folders tab at the top, next to Public Folders.
For those that were not able to make the Edwin Analytics workshops this month (and even for those that were!) I'm providing you a link to a Google Drive folder which contains the Edwin Analytics handouts and information sheets used in the workshops. Please let me know what you find useful or if there are questions I can answer for you!
Link to Edwin Analytics Handouts
One difference you may have noticed is that the "My Folders" area is not easy to find. "My Folders" is an excellent place to save copies of reports, especially reports that may contain student-level data, as it is extremely secure (unlike a memory stick!) and accessible from any computer.
If you do not see a "My Folders" tab at the very top level of tabs (to the right of "Public Folders"), you need to set the My Folders tab to appear. To do this, click on the "Tab Menu" button to the left of the EOE tab at the very top of the page and select "Add Tabs". Check the box next to "My Folders", then the green arrow in the middle to move the selection over to the right. Click OK. You should now see the My Folders tab at the top, next to Public Folders.For those that were not able to make the Edwin Analytics workshops this month (and even for those that were!) I'm providing you a link to a Google Drive folder which contains the Edwin Analytics handouts and information sheets used in the workshops. Please let me know what you find useful or if there are questions I can answer for you!
Link to Edwin Analytics Handouts
Monday, August 19, 2013
Educator Evaluation Update, District-Determined Measures
The Commissioner recently released a memo with an update for the timelines and expectations for implementing District-Determined Measures (DDMs) and the Student Impact Rating of the educator evaluation system. The DDM
update can be found here
http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Where can I find....?
I've heard from a number of principals and other school/district leaders over the last week who aren't quite sure where to go to get different pieces of information related to the preliminary MCAS data, so I thought I'd post a quick clarification.
There are actually 3 different applications in the Security Portal where preliminary MCAS-related information is posted. Not everyone will have access to all 3 applications...it depends on what applications you have been assigned access by your Directory Administrator. If you have access, you'll see links to each of these applications when you log into the Security Portal (http://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/)
2013 Accountability Data
This application within the portal connects to 3 layers of reports for your school/district, similar to the Accountability tab in Profiles. Preliminary information about accountability level, PPI indicator values, points, and targets can be found here.
DropBox Central
- Accountability 2013 Data - does not contain 2013 accountability data at this time, as the data is not final
- MCAS 2013 Data - contains the August 2013 preliminary data files in .CSV and .XLS format for all tested students for whom your organization is accountable (one line per student - these are large and somewhat unwieldy files!)
Edwin Analytics
A variety of preliminary MCAS reports (item, strand, performance/achievement, and growth) can be run for various grades, subjects, and/or subgroups within a school or district.
When the data is finalized (mid-September), there will also be updated 2013 data posted publicly to Profiles. However, the preliminary data is only available through the Security Portal with appropriate access. Please remember that the preliminary data is embargoed until the public release in September!
There are actually 3 different applications in the Security Portal where preliminary MCAS-related information is posted. Not everyone will have access to all 3 applications...it depends on what applications you have been assigned access by your Directory Administrator. If you have access, you'll see links to each of these applications when you log into the Security Portal (http://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/)
2013 Accountability Data
This application within the portal connects to 3 layers of reports for your school/district, similar to the Accountability tab in Profiles. Preliminary information about accountability level, PPI indicator values, points, and targets can be found here.
DropBox Central
- Accountability 2013 Data - does not contain 2013 accountability data at this time, as the data is not final
- MCAS 2013 Data - contains the August 2013 preliminary data files in .CSV and .XLS format for all tested students for whom your organization is accountable (one line per student - these are large and somewhat unwieldy files!)
Edwin Analytics
A variety of preliminary MCAS reports (item, strand, performance/achievement, and growth) can be run for various grades, subjects, and/or subgroups within a school or district.
When the data is finalized (mid-September), there will also be updated 2013 data posted publicly to Profiles. However, the preliminary data is only available through the Security Portal with appropriate access. Please remember that the preliminary data is embargoed until the public release in September!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Full Preliminary MCAS and Accountability Results
By now, you
probably have taken a look at the full preliminary MCAS results and
preliminary accountability data that DESE released last week (see
the SAS update
for more info). DESE held two webinars last week to provide more explanation and
guidance. Thanks to my colleague Paula O'Sullivan (Greater Boston DSAC) for passing along some of the key points from the webinar, as I was unable to attend.
- All data is embargoed until the public release in September! DESE states that you can use it for planning and research with appropriate staff and to let students know they earned a diploma. You should not discuss aggregate results in public or show preliminary aggregate reports at school committee meetings.
- The MCAS discrepancy window closes on Tues August 13th at 5 p.m.
- The state has changed slightly how they calculate the growth data, in that they now compare each student to a historical academic peer group. This means that the state SGP for each grade level will no longer necessarily be 50, it may be a bit higher or lower. The state results will be released in September.
- The student file now includes, for each student, how long that student has been enrolled in your district, and in your school. In the future, Edwin Analytics will provide reports with MCAS results disaggregated by these variables.
- Classroom reports with EOY SIMS data may be available in early September.
- Preliminary accountability reports are available in a separate application within the security portal. More detailed webinars will be held in a few weeks. You can register on DESE's site. Updated guidance is also available.
- Later this calendar year, DESE anticipates rolling out Edwin Analytics to teachers.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Summer Edwin Analytics Workshops Update
Just a reminder about the regional Edwin Analytics workshops I will be offering in August - all 3 sponsoring collaboratives have now posted the registration information, so I wanted to post an update. Please click the links below to register.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I will be offering the "Getting to Know Edwin Analytics" workshop several times in mid-late August (with the expectation that the preliminary MCAS data will be available at that time). There is no cost for these workshops; although priority registration will be given to individuals from Level 3 districts we anticipate to be able to accommodate all who would like to attend.
The workshop will provide a structured environment in which to explore data using the pre-defined reports in Edwin Analytics (formerly the Education Data Warehouse), including the Growth Model reports and classroom-level reports. This workshop is appropriate to new users but can serve as an update for previous users of the Education Data Warehouse. Participants will access their own district or school's data, and will have time to run and save reports for use in planning for the 2013-2014 school year.
All attendees must be assigned appropriate Security Portal access to Edwin Analytics by their district's Director Administrator prior to the workshop. Please register directly with the collaborative through whom the workshop is offered (it is not necessary that your district be a member of the collaborative to attend.)
8/15/13 - Bourne High School
8:30-11:30 am OR 12:15-3:15 pm
Please register through the Cape Cod Collaborative
8/20/13 - Whitman Hanson Regional High School
8:30-11:30 am
Please register through the North River Collaborative
8/22/13 - READS Collaborative, Middleborough
8:30-11:30 am
Please register through the READS Collaborative
-----------------------------------------------------------
I will be offering the "Getting to Know Edwin Analytics" workshop several times in mid-late August (with the expectation that the preliminary MCAS data will be available at that time). There is no cost for these workshops; although priority registration will be given to individuals from Level 3 districts we anticipate to be able to accommodate all who would like to attend.
The workshop will provide a structured environment in which to explore data using the pre-defined reports in Edwin Analytics (formerly the Education Data Warehouse), including the Growth Model reports and classroom-level reports. This workshop is appropriate to new users but can serve as an update for previous users of the Education Data Warehouse. Participants will access their own district or school's data, and will have time to run and save reports for use in planning for the 2013-2014 school year.
All attendees must be assigned appropriate Security Portal access to Edwin Analytics by their district's Director Administrator prior to the workshop. Please register directly with the collaborative through whom the workshop is offered (it is not necessary that your district be a member of the collaborative to attend.)
8/15/13 - Bourne High School
8:30-11:30 am OR 12:15-3:15 pm
Please register through the Cape Cod Collaborative
8/20/13 - Whitman Hanson Regional High School
8:30-11:30 am
Please register through the North River Collaborative
8/22/13 - READS Collaborative, Middleborough
8:30-11:30 am
Please register through the READS Collaborative
Thursday, June 20, 2013
June 2013 Release of Preliminary Results
As many of you already know, preliminary MCAS results were made available to authorized users in DropBox Central (in the security portal) on Tuesday. This release includes full preliminary ELA results and preliminary multiple-choice results for grades 3–8 and 10 Math and grades 5 and 8 Science.
There is an interpretive guide to accompany this release (currently available in DropBox Central, to be posted to the 2013 MCAS Web page shortly) which provides information about various ways that the preliminary data (along with the 2013 released items) can be reviewed and utilized. The raw-to-scaled score conversion tables for ELA have also been posted.
In addition, the latest Student Assessment Update notes that preliminary MCAS-Alt results have been made available through DropBox Central, and ELA long compositions are posted online at www.mcasservicecenter.com.
On Friday, June 21, the same preliminary results will be made available through selected reports in Edwin Analytics.
Per the Interpretive Guide: "All data released prior to the official release of school and district results in mid-September are embargoed, which means the data cannot be released to the public or discussed in public meetings.... Preliminary MCAS data, including the Mathematics and STE multiple-choice results, can and should be used for educational planning purposes. Whenever preliminary results are printed for planning purposes, they should be clearly dated and labeled “preliminary,” with the understanding that some results may change with the official release in September."
As a reminder, I will be offering three regional Edwin Analytics workshops in August after the remainder of the preliminary data has been released, but in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me with questions.
There is an interpretive guide to accompany this release (currently available in DropBox Central, to be posted to the 2013 MCAS Web page shortly) which provides information about various ways that the preliminary data (along with the 2013 released items) can be reviewed and utilized. The raw-to-scaled score conversion tables for ELA have also been posted.
In addition, the latest Student Assessment Update notes that preliminary MCAS-Alt results have been made available through DropBox Central, and ELA long compositions are posted online at www.mcasservicecenter.com.
On Friday, June 21, the same preliminary results will be made available through selected reports in Edwin Analytics.
Per the Interpretive Guide: "All data released prior to the official release of school and district results in mid-September are embargoed, which means the data cannot be released to the public or discussed in public meetings.... Preliminary MCAS data, including the Mathematics and STE multiple-choice results, can and should be used for educational planning purposes. Whenever preliminary results are printed for planning purposes, they should be clearly dated and labeled “preliminary,” with the understanding that some results may change with the official release in September."
As a reminder, I will be offering three regional Edwin Analytics workshops in August after the remainder of the preliminary data has been released, but in the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me with questions.
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Release of Spring 2013 MCAS Items
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has posted the released items for the Spring 2013 tests by grade and content area at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/2013/release/default.html.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Reminder: New ESE Security Portal URL
With the preliminary MCAS results being released on Tuesday (see earlier post for more details, along with the Student Assessment Services update sent out via email today), there’s a good chance you’ll want to log into the ESE Security Portal in the very near future to access Dropboxes or Edwin Analytics.
If you haven’t logged into the Security Portal in a while, you will notice some changes. Earlier in June, ESE installed a new “Identity Management System (IMS)” in order to align the Security Portal with the Commonwealth’s new secure access standards. Existing username and passwords will continue to work with the new Identity Management System and there is no need to change either credential, BUT the URL has changed.
New Security Portal URL: https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/
If you're trying to access Edwin Analytics, you should click the first "Edwin Analytics" link on your portal home page after logging in to the URL above to get the latest version of Edwin Analytics. The second link that says "Edwin Analytics (EDW)" is the old version.
You should change any bookmarks you may have to the new URL. (Note that the "Security Portal" link in the drop-down menu on the ESE home page has been updated to this new URL, so if you normally access the portal this way you'll go to the right spot.) If you notice that you're being asked to log in twice, you may be accessing the portal through an incorrect URL. If you have any questions regarding your access, please contact your district’s Directory Administrator.
If you haven’t logged into the Security Portal in a while, you will notice some changes. Earlier in June, ESE installed a new “Identity Management System (IMS)” in order to align the Security Portal with the Commonwealth’s new secure access standards. Existing username and passwords will continue to work with the new Identity Management System and there is no need to change either credential, BUT the URL has changed.
New Security Portal URL: https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/
If you're trying to access Edwin Analytics, you should click the first "Edwin Analytics" link on your portal home page after logging in to the URL above to get the latest version of Edwin Analytics. The second link that says "Edwin Analytics (EDW)" is the old version.
You should change any bookmarks you may have to the new URL. (Note that the "Security Portal" link in the drop-down menu on the ESE home page has been updated to this new URL, so if you normally access the portal this way you'll go to the right spot.) If you notice that you're being asked to log in twice, you may be accessing the portal through an incorrect URL. If you have any questions regarding your access, please contact your district’s Directory Administrator.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Summer Edwin Analytics Workshops
I will be offering the "Getting to Know Edwin Analytics" workshop several times in mid-late August (with the expectation that the preliminary MCAS data will be available at that time). There is no cost for these workshops; although priority registration will be given to individuals from Level 3 districts we anticipate to be able to accommodate all who would like to attend.
The workshop will provide a structured environment in which to explore data using the pre-defined reports in Edwin Analytics (formerly the Education Data Warehouse), including the Growth Model reports and classroom-level reports. This workshop is appropriate to new users but can serve as an update for previous users of the Education Data Warehouse. Participants will access their own district or school's data, and will have time to run and save reports for use in planning for the 2013-2014 school year.
All attendees must be assigned appropriate Security Portal access to Edwin Analytics by their district's Director Administrator prior to the workshop. Please register directly with the collaborative through whom the workshop is offered (it is not necessary that your district be a member of the collaborative to attend.)
8/15/13 - Bourne High School
8:30-11:30 am OR 12:15-3:15 pm
Please register through the Cape Cod Collaborative
8/20/13 - Whitman Hanson Regional High School
8:30-11:30 am OR 12:15-3:15 pm
Please register through the North River Collaborative
(info is not yet posted but will be in the next week or so)
8/22/13 - READS Collaborative, Middleborough
8:30-11:30 am OR 12:15-3:15 pm
Please register through the READS Collaborative
The workshop will provide a structured environment in which to explore data using the pre-defined reports in Edwin Analytics (formerly the Education Data Warehouse), including the Growth Model reports and classroom-level reports. This workshop is appropriate to new users but can serve as an update for previous users of the Education Data Warehouse. Participants will access their own district or school's data, and will have time to run and save reports for use in planning for the 2013-2014 school year.
All attendees must be assigned appropriate Security Portal access to Edwin Analytics by their district's Director Administrator prior to the workshop. Please register directly with the collaborative through whom the workshop is offered (it is not necessary that your district be a member of the collaborative to attend.)
8/15/13 - Bourne High School
8:30-11:30 am OR 12:15-3:15 pm
Please register through the Cape Cod Collaborative
8/20/13 - Whitman Hanson Regional High School
8:30-11:30 am OR 12:15-3:15 pm
Please register through the North River Collaborative
(info is not yet posted but will be in the next week or so)
8/22/13 - READS Collaborative, Middleborough
8:30-11:30 am OR 12:15-3:15 pm
Please register through the READS Collaborative
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Edwin Teaching and Learning Pilot Update
The Edwin Teaching and Learning Group at ESE have published an update on the ET&L pilot project, including information about current and future pilot opportunities (for RTTT districts), content updates, and online resources.
The update document can be found under "News and Updates" on the Edwin page on the ESE site.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/edwin/
The update document can be found under "News and Updates" on the Edwin page on the ESE site.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/edwin/
Friday, May 31, 2013
MCAS Release Schedule 2013
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has published the release schedule for 2013 MCAS data. Today's memorandum plus the downloadable schedule can be found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/.
In summary: Starting on June 18, school leaders will have access to student roster files (ELA all question types, Science multiple choice for grades 5 and 8, Math multiple choice only, MCAS-Alt full results) through Dropbox Central. Selected reports will be available in Edwin Analytics several days later. A second round of data will be released on August 7, with the discrepancy reporting window occuring between August 7-13. Please see the schedule for all the details.
As mentioned in yesterday's post, the Security Portal (home of Dropbox Central and Edwin Analytics) will be undergoing some changes this weekend. The new URL for the portal will be https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us.
I will be holding regional Edwin Analytics workshops on August 15 at Bourne HS and August 22 at READS in Middleboro and will post registration information to the blog next week. If anyone is interested in a late June workshop given that there will be some new data to explore by June 21, please let me know (laura.tilton@dsacma.org) as I could certainly schedule one if the interest exists.
Happy Friday!
In summary: Starting on June 18, school leaders will have access to student roster files (ELA all question types, Science multiple choice for grades 5 and 8, Math multiple choice only, MCAS-Alt full results) through Dropbox Central. Selected reports will be available in Edwin Analytics several days later. A second round of data will be released on August 7, with the discrepancy reporting window occuring between August 7-13. Please see the schedule for all the details.
As mentioned in yesterday's post, the Security Portal (home of Dropbox Central and Edwin Analytics) will be undergoing some changes this weekend. The new URL for the portal will be https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us.
I will be holding regional Edwin Analytics workshops on August 15 at Bourne HS and August 22 at READS in Middleboro and will post registration information to the blog next week. If anyone is interested in a late June workshop given that there will be some new data to explore by June 21, please let me know (laura.tilton@dsacma.org) as I could certainly schedule one if the interest exists.
Happy Friday!
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Changes to Security Portal and Edwin Analytics / Friday Webinars
ESE is currently working to install a new Identity Management System (IMS) so that the Security Portal will align with the Commonwealth's new secure access standards. The first phase of this upgrade will take place over the weekend of June 1-2, as the first set of portal applications will be migrated over to the new system. The Security Portal will be unavailable during this time, as well as on two additional dates (June 6 and June 8) when additional migrations are scheduled to take place. During the June 3-9 period you may experience the need to log in twice to the portal as the upgrade will be in progress.
If you need additional information, please see the Data Warehouse contact or Directory Administrator for your district.
The Edwin Analytics/EDW team will host two WebEx sessions tomorrow at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm to review the impact of this IMS on Edwin Analytics/EDW. I will also share any new information here on the blog.
2. Discussion of new security portal
3. Review of the new User Interface
The WebEx agenda includes:
1.
Discussion of IDM final memo, Application Release Schedule2. Discussion of new security portal
3. Review of the new User Interface
To access the webinar:
Telephone number if needed: 1-877-820-7831
Password: 683154#
To Un-mute/Mute your phone dial *6
For operator help dial *0
http://commonwealthofmass.If you need additional information, please see the Data Warehouse contact or Directory Administrator for your district.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Student Assessment Update - ACCESS For ELLs; Retirement of Score Request Tool
The latest Student Assessment Update is now posted on the ESE Web site at http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=7487, including updates on ACCESS for ELLs score report interpretation resources and retirement of the MCAS Score Request Tool.
Please note: These updates come out via email before they are posted online. Please see the information listed at the bottom of the update page for more information about receiving the updates via email.
Please note: These updates come out via email before they are posted online. Please see the information listed at the bottom of the update page for more information about receiving the updates via email.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
District Determined Measures: Technical Guide A
From the May 17 Commissioner's Weekly Update:
Technical Guide A, a supplement to Part VII of the Mass. Model Educator Evaluation System, is now available at http://www.doe.mass.edu/
Technical Guide A, a supplement to Part VII of the Mass. Model Educator Evaluation System, is now available at http://www.doe.mass.edu/
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Educator Evaluation Spring Convening 5/29/2013
Educator Evaluation Spring Convening:
Connecting Policy, Practice, and Practitioners
Wednesday, May 29th, 7:45am-4:30pm
Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center
366 Main Street, Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is excited to bring together public school districts, associations and educator preparation programs for a day of celebration, learning and reflection about promising and emerging practices in the new Educator Evaluation framework. This new framework will be implemented statewide in the 2013-2014 school year; however, many districts have already begun to engage in this work. This is an opportunity for districts currently implementing the framework to share their successes and challenges and indentify new and actionable strategies for improving implementation in the coming year. It is also a chance for newly implementing districts to learn from and connect with colleagues who have been engaged in this work over the past two years. ESE is pleased to bring together districts, associations, and educator preparation programs to build connections and relationships across the educator pipeline in Massachusetts.
More information and registration (by 5/15) is available at:
http://registration.airprojects.org/MDESEEducatorEvaluationDistrict/
Connecting Policy, Practice, and Practitioners
Wednesday, May 29th, 7:45am-4:30pm
Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center
366 Main Street, Sturbridge, Massachusetts 01566
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is excited to bring together public school districts, associations and educator preparation programs for a day of celebration, learning and reflection about promising and emerging practices in the new Educator Evaluation framework. This new framework will be implemented statewide in the 2013-2014 school year; however, many districts have already begun to engage in this work. This is an opportunity for districts currently implementing the framework to share their successes and challenges and indentify new and actionable strategies for improving implementation in the coming year. It is also a chance for newly implementing districts to learn from and connect with colleagues who have been engaged in this work over the past two years. ESE is pleased to bring together districts, associations, and educator preparation programs to build connections and relationships across the educator pipeline in Massachusetts.
More information and registration (by 5/15) is available at:
http://registration.airprojects.org/MDESEEducatorEvaluationDistrict/
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Resource Round-Up
Wow...what a busy time of year! There is lots of great information on data, assessment, and educator effectiveness related topics coming our way...here are some of the latest resources that you may find valuable:
PARCC Release of Assessment Blueprints and Test Specifications: PARCC has released a set of test specification documents, including assessment blueprints and evidence statement tables, to help educators and the general public better understand the design of the PARCC assessments.
EWIS Implementation Support Pilot: ESE is looking to select approximately six districts to receive regular on-site technical assistance, facilitation, and training to support their use of the Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) data in the 2013-14 school year. Applications are due on Friday, May 31st.
New Educator Evaluation QRG: Data Collection provides information about the data elements that districts will report as part of EPIMS related to the educator evaluation system.
ESE Newsletters and Update Pages:
Student Assessment Updates (latest update: 4/22)
Educator Evaluation E-Newsletter (latest version: April 2013)
RTTT Newsletter (latest version: Spring 2013)
Upcoming Webinars:
ACCESS for ELLs Score Reporting - May 23, 28, or 29
Assessment Literacy Webinar Series - Archives of Sessions 1-3 (Session 4 will be in July)
PARCC Release of Assessment Blueprints and Test Specifications: PARCC has released a set of test specification documents, including assessment blueprints and evidence statement tables, to help educators and the general public better understand the design of the PARCC assessments.
EWIS Implementation Support Pilot: ESE is looking to select approximately six districts to receive regular on-site technical assistance, facilitation, and training to support their use of the Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) data in the 2013-14 school year. Applications are due on Friday, May 31st.
New Educator Evaluation QRG: Data Collection provides information about the data elements that districts will report as part of EPIMS related to the educator evaluation system.
ESE Newsletters and Update Pages:
Student Assessment Updates (latest update: 4/22)
Educator Evaluation E-Newsletter (latest version: April 2013)
RTTT Newsletter (latest version: Spring 2013)
Upcoming Webinars:
ACCESS for ELLs Score Reporting - May 23, 28, or 29
Assessment Literacy Webinar Series - Archives of Sessions 1-3 (Session 4 will be in July)
Monday, April 29, 2013
MCAS Participation and the Need for Data Quality
As schools gear up to administer the Math and Science MCAS exams next month, I thought it would be a good opportunity for a reminder of the importance of data quality, particularly when it comes to MCAS participation data.
As you may know, one way that a school can be classified as “Level 3” is by having less than 90% MCAS participation for the aggregate or any subgroup. (Schools can similarly be classified as “Level 2” by having less than 95% MCAS participation for the aggregate or any subgroup; see page 5 of the School Leaders’ Guide for additional information.)
Last year, 32 schools (27 of which were high schools) were identified for low MCAS participation statewide - 9 in the "very low / <90%" (Level 3) category and 23 in the "low / <95%" (Level 2) category. In some cases, the classification of a single student brought the participation percentage of a subgroup below 90%, thus designating the school as Level 3. In addition, several schools were preliminarily identified as Level 3 for low participation, but after these schools looked further at their data, they identified errors they had initially missed which brought their participation above the 90% mark. School-wide participation in achievement assessments is important, and it's essential that every student is counted correctly. It’s clear that quality data collection, roster verification, and proper classification can prevent confusion and misidentification.
Additional guidance related to MCAS participation requirements, including information specific to high school students, can be found in Part II: Student Participation in the the Principal’s Administration Manual. Appendix D of this document also provides information about reporting various types of student non-participation, and how this information is used for MCAS reporting and accountability reporting.
For schools interested in looking back at their participation history (for both aggregate and subgroups), this data can be found in two places on the Profiles pages for that school. On the "Assessment" tab for each year, there is a report entitled "Participation Report." On the "Accountability" tab, clicking "View Detailed 2012 Data" and scrolling to the bottom of the page will bring you to a table of participation data by subgroup.
As you may know, one way that a school can be classified as “Level 3” is by having less than 90% MCAS participation for the aggregate or any subgroup. (Schools can similarly be classified as “Level 2” by having less than 95% MCAS participation for the aggregate or any subgroup; see page 5 of the School Leaders’ Guide for additional information.)
Last year, 32 schools (27 of which were high schools) were identified for low MCAS participation statewide - 9 in the "very low / <90%" (Level 3) category and 23 in the "low / <95%" (Level 2) category. In some cases, the classification of a single student brought the participation percentage of a subgroup below 90%, thus designating the school as Level 3. In addition, several schools were preliminarily identified as Level 3 for low participation, but after these schools looked further at their data, they identified errors they had initially missed which brought their participation above the 90% mark. School-wide participation in achievement assessments is important, and it's essential that every student is counted correctly. It’s clear that quality data collection, roster verification, and proper classification can prevent confusion and misidentification.
Additional guidance related to MCAS participation requirements, including information specific to high school students, can be found in Part II: Student Participation in the the Principal’s Administration Manual. Appendix D of this document also provides information about reporting various types of student non-participation, and how this information is used for MCAS reporting and accountability reporting.
For schools interested in looking back at their participation history (for both aggregate and subgroups), this data can be found in two places on the Profiles pages for that school. On the "Assessment" tab for each year, there is a report entitled "Participation Report." On the "Accountability" tab, clicking "View Detailed 2012 Data" and scrolling to the bottom of the page will bring you to a table of participation data by subgroup.
Monday, April 8, 2013
PARCC Massachusetts Web Site Now Live
The PARCC Massachusetts Web site (through the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education) is now live at http://www.mass.edu/parcc. The site provides a variety of links, documents, and resources related to the PARCC assessments, Common Core, and College and Career Readiness.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Update on PPI Webinars
I posted yesterday about a set of PPI webinars being offered by DESE in May. I have since learned that the webinar is targeted for Charter, ELT and Innovation Schools due to aspects specific to their performance-based accountability structures.
DESE anticipates holding additional trainings on PPI and the new accountability/assistance leveling system later this spring or summer that will be broadly available to all public schools and districts. I will post information here as it becomes available.
In order to minimize confusion, DESE staff will clear the registration system of all current registrants and ask that you re-register if these trainings are still appropriate for you. ( If you did register, you probably already received an email with a very similar message directly from DESE.)
My apologies for any confusion this may have caused!
DESE anticipates holding additional trainings on PPI and the new accountability/assistance leveling system later this spring or summer that will be broadly available to all public schools and districts. I will post information here as it becomes available.
In order to minimize confusion, DESE staff will clear the registration system of all current registrants and ask that you re-register if these trainings are still appropriate for you. ( If you did register, you probably already received an email with a very similar message directly from DESE.)
My apologies for any confusion this may have caused!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Edwin Analytics Updates
The following information was shared in yesterday's Edwin Analytics webinar (thanks to my colleague Paula O'Sullivan at the Greater Boston DSAC for sharing!)
1. February Biology results are now available (as of 3/25) in the following student-level reports:
4. The Edwin Analytics team is seeking feedback on the new EWIS and Postsecondary Reports. Please share any feedback you may have with me (and I will pass along) or directly with the Edwin team (Edwin@doe.mass.edu).
5. Internet Explorer 10 is NOT compatible with Cognos. If you use IE and upgraded to 10, there are steps you can take to revert back to IE 9 (please visit the Edwin Analytics Home Page for more information.)
1. February Biology results are now available (as of 3/25) in the following student-level reports:
- Student Profile Report (PR600)
- Assessment History Summary (PE613)
- Assessment Detail (PE606)
- Student Item Analysis Report (IT616)
- MCAS Student Roster (PE617)
2. Competency Determination
status updates are now available (as of
3/25) in the following student-level reports:
- Student Profile Report (PR600)
- Assessment History Summary (PE613)
- Student CD Roster (PE618)
3. March Retest data will be available in mid-late April.
4. The Edwin Analytics team is seeking feedback on the new EWIS and Postsecondary Reports. Please share any feedback you may have with me (and I will pass along) or directly with the Edwin team (Edwin@doe.mass.edu).
5. Internet Explorer 10 is NOT compatible with Cognos. If you use IE and upgraded to 10, there are steps you can take to revert back to IE 9 (please visit the Edwin Analytics Home Page for more information.)
Two other updates shared related to data and technology:
- You can find ESE’s School Interoperability Framework (SIF) updates, past newsletters and other materials on the SIF site.
- DESE is planning a state-wide IT directors meeting in Andover on May 16th. The purpose of this meeting to build collaboration among IT directors. More information will be coming.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
ESE Assessment Literacy Webinar Series
ESE is offering an 8-part webinar series which will run from now through December, focused on assessment literacy in the context of district-determined measures (DDM's) for educator evaluation. These sessions will run 60-90 minutes and are designed for district and/or school teams who will be involved in the identification and selection of district-determined measures. The webinars and related materials will be archived and posted online along with the schedule at http://www.doe.mass.edu/edeval/ddm/webinar.html.
Webinar Session 1, "Introduction: District-Determined Measures and Assessment Literacy" was offered last Thursday, March 14, but will run a second time on Wednesday, March 27, at 4:00 pm. The registration is available online (the registration page also includes the handouts/PowerPoint for Session 1) through this link.
Also, stay tuned to the ESE site for "Technical Guide A" which will be coming this spring to accompany Part VII: Rating Educator Impact on Student Learning Using District-Determined Measures of Student Learning.
Webinar Session 1, "Introduction: District-Determined Measures and Assessment Literacy" was offered last Thursday, March 14, but will run a second time on Wednesday, March 27, at 4:00 pm. The registration is available online (the registration page also includes the handouts/PowerPoint for Session 1) through this link.
Also, stay tuned to the ESE site for "Technical Guide A" which will be coming this spring to accompany Part VII: Rating Educator Impact on Student Learning Using District-Determined Measures of Student Learning.
Monday, March 11, 2013
PARCC Assessment Update
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) recently released a guidance document which contains
important information on test design, the testing window and approximate
testing time, and "rule of thumb" guidance on the number of computer
devices needed to administer the PARCC assessments.
The direct link to the PDF guidance document is here, or you can visit PARCC's Assessment Administration page for the latest news and updates, including a readiness tool, FAQ, user guide, and more.
.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Additional Guidance on District-Determined Measures
As part of the Commonwealth's new educator evaluation system, districts will be required to identify and administer a district-wide set of student performance measures for each grade/subject that "permit a comparison of student learning gains." Where MCAS student growth percentile (SGP) exists, regulations state that it must be used as one of these measures, but it will be up to districts to identify/develop additional measures of student learning gains for many grades and subjects.
(You may recall a previous blog post about an activity designed to help teachers engage with and reflect on classroom-level growth data...I continue to use this activity with very positive responses from teacher teams!)
ESE has recently released a Quick Reference Guide on District-Determined Measures (along with QRG's on other EdEval topics) which summarizes the regulations and timeline related to the implementation of DDM's for all districts in Massachusetts. Additional guidance on the identification and selection of DDM's and related topics is scheduled for release later this Spring.
(You may recall a previous blog post about an activity designed to help teachers engage with and reflect on classroom-level growth data...I continue to use this activity with very positive responses from teacher teams!)
ESE has recently released a Quick Reference Guide on District-Determined Measures (along with QRG's on other EdEval topics) which summarizes the regulations and timeline related to the implementation of DDM's for all districts in Massachusetts. Additional guidance on the identification and selection of DDM's and related topics is scheduled for release later this Spring.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Three New Data Sets – Now Available in Profiles
Per the latest Commissioner's Email Update, ESE has recently added the following three new data sets to School/District Profiles.
- 2012-13 Enrollment: New district and school reports to reflect 2012-13 enrollment include enrollment by grade, race/gender, and selected populations.
- Attrition: This data set looks at attrition across school years. Users can filter the data by school year, district or school levels, and various subgroups. Clicking on an individual district or school will show all of the subgroups for that entity. To view the data, go to http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/attrition.aspx.
- MassCore Completion: This data set reflects the percent of graduates who have completed the MassCore curriculum as reported by districts. While we acknowledge there are data quality issues within this data set, by publishing the data, we expect the quality of the reporting will improve. In future years, ESE will use its own course scheduling data collection to supplement the district-reported data. The data are online at http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/state_report/masscore.aspx.
Friday, February 1, 2013
The Education Data Warehouse is now Edwin Analytics
Today's announcement from ESE:
As of today, the Education Data Warehouse (EDW) can be accessed through the Edwin Analytics link on the ESE’s Security Portal.
Edwin Analytics is accessible using the EDW login roles. These roles should be assigned to district and school users in accordance with the rules set forth in the Department’s Data Access Policy for the EDW.
Edwin Analytics includes:
Contact for Support:
As of today, the Education Data Warehouse (EDW) can be accessed through the Edwin Analytics link on the ESE’s Security Portal.
Edwin Analytics is accessible using the EDW login roles. These roles should be assigned to district and school users in accordance with the rules set forth in the Department’s Data Access Policy for the EDW.
Edwin Analytics includes:
- All EDW state data (MCAS, Growth, SIMS, EPIMS, SCS) and all personal content saved to a users’ ‘My Folders’, district, and school folders.
- Six new Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) and Postsecondary Outcomes reports located on the District, School, and Student tabs. (The same 5 district and school level reports are on the District and School tabs and one student level report is on the Student tab.)
Contact for Support:
- For access to Edwin Analytics, contact your district’s Directory Administrator (DA). If you already have access to the EDW, you automatically have access to Edwin Analytics and the specific reports available for your level of access.
- For technical support questions, please contact the Data Warehouse Contact person in your district. A list can be found at Profiles: People Search and choose Data Warehouse Contact in the ‘Function’ dropdown.
- If you are the district’s Data Warehouse contact and need additional technical support, contact the EDW team at datawarehouse@doe.mass.edu or 781-338-6820.
- For data issues including analysis, please contact the team responsible for data content:
- MCAS and Growth reports: Student Assessment Services at mcas@doe.mass.edu or 781-338-3625.
- EWIS and Postsecondary Outcomes reports: edwin@doe.mass.edu.
- For general Edwin questions, please contact edwin@doe.mass.edu
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
More About Our New Friend Edwin
Edwin is certainly a popular guy these days -- he's everywhere!As you know by now, "Edwin" (which is not an acronym, by the way) is the name of Massachusetts' comprehensive integrated suite of tools and resources to help educators at every level to improve teaching and learning. Edwin has two main parts:
Edwin Analytics will be a suite of analysis tools, including the Massachusetts Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS), college and career readiness reports, and the Education Data Warehouse,
all available through the security portal. Today was the first of several Webinars which focused on this portion of Edwin - additional Webinars have been scheduled in order to accommodate all the folks interested in learning more! We will start seeing new reports and Edwin interface changes within the security portal toward the end of the month. All districts will have access to Edwin Analytics through the security portal.Edwin Teaching and Learning will provide online curriculum and assessment tools for educators aligned to the 2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks in English Language Arts and Literacy and Mathematics,
which incorporate the Common Core State Standards. Yesterday I had the opportunity to join the pilot districts to learn more about the Thinkgate system upon which Edwin Teaching and Learning will be built. I was very impressed by the curriculum and assessment tools it offers! You can see a quick demo of the system and learn more about upcoming Webinars related specifically to Edwin Teaching and Learning at http://thinkgate.net/ohma/. Edwin Teaching and Learning will first be implemented in districts that are part of RTTT (projects 5A-5E plus project 3A.)For additional information on Edwin, please continue to visit http://www.doe.mass.edu/edwin/.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Edwin Update and Webinars
From the 1/4 Commissioner's Weekly Update:
Massachusetts and Ohio have chosen
Thinkgate as the vendor to develop an instructional improvement system (IIS) for both states in support of
Edwin Teaching & Learning.
Commissioner's Weekly Updates
Just an FYI, for those that haven't heard: ESE has started publishing a Commissioner's Weekly Update, which is delivered by e-mail on Fridays (not currently available on the Web site, as far as I know.)
If you don't currently receive these, and want to subscribe via email, here is the information:
-------
Subscriber Information: Superintendents, principals, and charter school leaders will receive the update automatically. For others wishing to subscribe, send an email to imailsrv@list1.doe.mass.edu with the following information in the body of the email: subscribe ESEUpdate Your Name. (Example: subscribe ESEUpdate John Smith) To unsubscribe, send an email to the same address with the following information in the body: unsubscribe ESEUpdate Your Name. (Example: unsubscribe ESEUpdate John Smith)
If you don't currently receive these, and want to subscribe via email, here is the information:
-------
Subscriber Information: Superintendents, principals, and charter school leaders will receive the update automatically. For others wishing to subscribe, send an email to imailsrv@list1.doe.mass.edu with the following information in the body of the email: subscribe ESEUpdate Your Name. (Example: subscribe ESEUpdate John Smith) To unsubscribe, send an email to the same address with the following information in the body: unsubscribe ESEUpdate Your Name. (Example: unsubscribe ESEUpdate John Smith)
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Coming soon -- Edwin!
Happy New Year! Most of you have heard that ESE will soon be releasing Edwin, an "integrated suite of cutting-edge tools and resources to promote best practices in classroom instruction and assessments." Edwin will have two major components: Edwin Analytics and Edwin Teaching and Learning.
Edwin Analytics will be a suite of analysis tools, including the Massachusetts Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS), college and career readiness reports, and the Education Data Warehouse, all available through the security portal. According to the information provided on this week's EDW conference call, we should start to see minor branding and interface changes to the EDW/portal within the next month, with some more major user interface changes and additional tools in the spring (eventually with teacher-level access to reports!)
Edwin Teaching & Learning will provide online curriculum and assessment tools for educators aligned to the 2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks in English Language Arts and Literacy and Mathematics, which incorporate the Common Core State Standards. Massachusetts is working toward procuring an instructional improvement system (IIS) with Ohio and we look forward to hearing the vendor selection in the near future.
Opportunities to pilot new Edwin resources as they are developed will be provided to districts who have been participating in identifying requirements for the system as well as those who have identified project 5a (Teaching and Learning System) in their RTTT applications. For more information, please contact edwin@doe.mass.edu.
Stay tuned for additional information on the launch of Edwin in the coming weeks. For additional information about Edwin, including an extensive FAQ, visit http://www.doe.mass.edu/edwin/.
Edwin Analytics will be a suite of analysis tools, including the Massachusetts Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS), college and career readiness reports, and the Education Data Warehouse, all available through the security portal. According to the information provided on this week's EDW conference call, we should start to see minor branding and interface changes to the EDW/portal within the next month, with some more major user interface changes and additional tools in the spring (eventually with teacher-level access to reports!)
Edwin Teaching & Learning will provide online curriculum and assessment tools for educators aligned to the 2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks in English Language Arts and Literacy and Mathematics, which incorporate the Common Core State Standards. Massachusetts is working toward procuring an instructional improvement system (IIS) with Ohio and we look forward to hearing the vendor selection in the near future.
Opportunities to pilot new Edwin resources as they are developed will be provided to districts who have been participating in identifying requirements for the system as well as those who have identified project 5a (Teaching and Learning System) in their RTTT applications. For more information, please contact edwin@doe.mass.edu.
Stay tuned for additional information on the launch of Edwin in the coming weeks. For additional information about Edwin, including an extensive FAQ, visit http://www.doe.mass.edu/edwin/.
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