LBLESD data warehouse

The LBLESD data warehouse currently houses information for fifteen (15) school districts which totals 37,414 students. Development is being done in-house. This warehouse provides services to multiple student information systems.

Roles LBL: Use of DASH

Teacher - this role provides teachers with current student information as well as history information on current students. Teachers also have the right to see students they have taught in prior years. Current data and history data.
School - this role provides building level users (normally Principal’s, Counselors, Registrars) the ability to see all data associated with their school; current year and history. Access to teacher data, student data and school level data.
District - this role provides a district level access point. Users with a district role have access to the entire districts information; all schools, teachers, students.

LBL and its component districts have worked with TetraData engineers and development staff to design our dashboard to go beyond the normal gauge driven dashboard. Our DASH is based on indicators; standard indicators and custom indicators. Custom indicators are based on specific district and/or school measures. Most custom indicators are developed based on school or district improvement plans or continuous improvement plans.

Indicators: There are two distinct categories of education indicators: performance and contextual. Performance indicators measure the achievement or result of actions of students (e.g., attendance, assessments). They measure the outcomes of the educational system. Contextual indicators measure attributes associated with students or teachers that would have an affect on performance (e.g., demographics, discipline). They measure the system inputs and processes that aid in the interpretation of performance indicators.

Unique qualities of TetraData DASH:
1) Role specific
2) Areas of TD DASH: Home (personalized settings, reports, documentation), Analyze (district/school/student drill down - access to choose indicators, reports, analyze data for multiple years), Admin (develop and deploy indicators, manage security, manage views)
3) District, School and Student reports
4) Roster Year and Data Year
5) Lock Roster capabilities (provides ability to constrain to specific students demographics; ethnic groups, gender, grade levels, special programs). Lock roster to save this cohort and apply to multiple indicators.
6) Global and page search capabilities (allows users to do a global or page search for specific information or students)
7) Graphic and table views as well as filters
8) Export data to csv

LBL currently maps all data through LBL SIS Suite.

Based on the district goals and objectives, we recommend a phased implementation approach encompassing data movement and professional services while utilizing sound project management principles and processes. This holistic approach will help build a technical platform for using data to drive performance results in your district.

LBL provides project management methodology focused on best practices. We work directly with Follett Software Company, and districts to define and document scheduling, customer expectations, resources, benchmarks, milestones and quality standards related to the scope of work of the project(s).

- Align people, processes and tools to plan, activate and control projects
- Ensure responsiveness to customer and regulatory requirements
- Establish a baseline of work activities that meet specific objectives, developing interim milestones to maintain project momentum - Maintain an historical document archive to facilitate project planning and knowledge transfer
- Provide ongoing insight into progress and risks
- Ensure effective communication
- Effectively manage project activities and processes and eliminate roadblocks to better ensure project successes

LBL began training as a "train-the-trainer" model in 2002/2003 and continued on with this concept; however we have begun to refocus on individual district/school training brought to users by LBL staff and at least once a year, staff from Follett Software Company.

LBL is currently working directly with district staff to develop a training schedule each school year to keep admin teams, data teams and teachers learning and applying lessons to their daily routines. We also provide training on request.

LBL uses onsite, hands-on methods of training as well as online training.

Student demographic and academic data is loaded on a nightly basis from the SIS. OAKS data is loaded on a weekly basis to accommodate changes from the individual districts.

OSAT/OAKS, NWEA MAPs and Work Samples are the three assessments loaded into the warehouse at this time. However, the solution is flexible enough to accommodate any assessment. LBL ESD has reached out to its districts inquiring about additional assessments that are needed and desired in the warehouse.

Current projects for additional assessments:
DIBLES
Easy CBM
PSAT
SAT
ACT
SWIS

All errors and issues are reported directly to LBL's help desk. Escalation to Follett Software through email and/or telephone. All open cases are documented and phone contact is weekly at this time.

No dedicated FTE
LBL has a Project Manager that has no real dedicated time to the warehouse, however spends anywhere from .25 to .75 percent of the time working on management and training.
LBL has no dedicated programming time, however depending on new projects LBL can have a full time programmer working on multiple warehouse projects and/or reports.

LBL and its regional districts began with a steering committee to drive decisions and time-lines. This steering committee, although still intact, has diminished due to staff retirements and mobility. LBL currently utilizes a team approach to development of new projects.

Monthly reports are provided to LBL's SIS Suite Steering Committee as well as District Superintendent's.

LBL provides a Project Manager, help desk support and training.

Project Manager works directly with districts/schools, data teams, programmers and Follett Software PM's and engineers.

Regional school districts drive the projects that are introduced for warehouse updates. In addition, we work with individual districts on support models, data extraction as well as their needs from the warehouse tools.