Data & Analytics

Texas Charter System Outsources Data Work to Certica

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 10/17/16

A Texas school system is handing off the work of data management to a software-as-a-service provider. YES Prep, which runs 16 public charter schools with 11,600 students in grades 6-12, will be working with Certica Solutions to create a data platform based in part on the Ed-Fi Alliance data standards.

Ed-Fi is a non-profit organization that develops free and open tools for integration of K-12 data sources and systems. The Ed-Fi community includes state departments of education and school districts as well as education technology vendors that adopt the standards to simplify the integration capabilities of their products.

Currently, the school system uses Certica's Certify, an education-oriented web-based enterprise application for data quality that continually validates district databases for adherence to business rules, data quality requirements and compliance. The program is specifically used to ensure the quality and timeliness of the data reported to the Texas Education Agency.

Under the new agreement, Certica will implement, install, configure and maintain an application program interface for integration of data from YES Prep's education applications and set up the data store and data warehouse.

In a prepared statement Richard Charlesworth, vice president of technology and analytics at YES Prep, said the learning model in use by his schools relies on the use of data. "Ed-Fi allows us to adopt best-of-breed education solutions and integrate data between them. Doing so will create a more seamless experience for our teachers and leadership, and ensure that users have access to complete, timely and accurate longitudinal data."

Among Certica's customers are state education agencies in Arkansas, Colorado and Wyoming. In the state of Texas 40 districts work with Certica, including Little Rock and Pasco County.