Kansas District Turns to Web-based System for Student Data Analysis
Blue Valley School District in suburban Kansas City has announced the implementation of SAS data warehousing, analysis, and reporting solutions as part of an overall strategic plan to improve student performance on standardized tests.
The district is using the SAS system to collect a range of student data--including demographics, grades, state assessment scores, and Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) exam results--that can be analyzed and used for individualized instruction. Since 2004, the district has raised the percentage of students meeting or exceeding state reading standards from 83 percent to 96 percent and math from 81 percent to 95 percent.
"Using our student data system, principals begin the year knowing where our children stand compared to standards," said Bob Moore, Blue Valley's executive director of information technology, in a prepared statement. "They can see district trends, predict state assessment scores and collaborate with teachers to tailor instructional strategies to each child."
The Blue Valley implementation gives district administrators access to information on more than 21,000 students through a Web-based portal. The district is currently piloting a similar portal designed specifically for teacher use.
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About the author: Chris Riedel is a freelance writer based in Illinois. He can be reached here.