Software Enables After-School Program Tracking

Numerous after-school programs in Louisville, KY, are using the KidTrax ID-card scanning and reporting system from nFocus Software (www.nfocus.com) to assist educators in determining a program’s effect on school performance. The intent is to establish for the first time a data-supported link between quality after-school activities and their influence on academic success. Partners in the project include the Jefferson County Public Schools and the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs (www.tsamwv.org/boys-girlsclubs.htm), which serves 5,000 students throughout Louisville.

A link from KidTrax makes it possible to identify after-school participants with poor grades, low test scores, multiple suspensions, and excessive school absences. After-school tutoring can then be tailored to fit the needs of these at-risk students. This kind of tracking can also be used to gauge program success. For example, KidTrax data has shown that regular participants in the Salvation Army’s after-school activities have on average a 96.6 percent school attendance record, and that the percentage of participants suspended from school dropped from 14 percent to 3 percent over an 18-month period.

KidTrax’s comprehensive youth tracking system combines ID cards, scanning technology, a middleware connection to school district databases, reporting, and various other tools.

Featured

  • laptop screen displaying a typed essay, on a child

    McGraw Hill Acquires Essaypop Digital Learning Tool

    Education company McGraw Hill has announced the acquisition of Essaypop, a cloud-based writing tool that will enhance the former's portfolio of personalized learning capabilities.

  • glowing digital brain made of blue circuitry hovers above multiple stylized clouds of interconnected network nodes against a dark, futuristic background

    Report: 85% of Organizations Are Leveraging AI

    Eighty-five percent of organizations today are utilizing some form of AI, according to the latest State of AI in the Cloud 2025 report from Wiz. While AI's role in innovation and disruption continues to expand, security vulnerabilities and governance challenges remain pressing concerns.

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • A child surrounded by glowing, fluid virtual patterns and holographic shapes, illuminated in a dark gradient environment of blue, purple, and pink.

    ClassVR Gets Expanded VR/AR Content Library

    Avantis Education has announced a new content library for its ClassVR virtual and augmented reality platform. Dubbed Eduverse+, the library features four content suites — EduverseAI, WildWorld, STEAM3D, and CareerHub — that can be tailored to suit a variety of educational levels.