Information Services

ESE Data Initiatives: 30 June 2009 Update

This spring seven information sessions were held to introduce school districts to major new ESE data initiatives. Below is an overview of each project along with updated project information.

SIMS Expansion - this project will expand the current SIMS collection to include student schedule information.

• Collaboration with Pilot Districts
  • 30% of the school districts volunteered to participate in the pilot collection that will take place in March 2010
  • 80 pilot districts were selected
  • 1st pilot district meeting was held on June 24th
• Data Elements
  • A preliminary list of elements was reviewed with the pilot districts and feedback was gathered
  • In July the final version will be posted to the ESE website
• SIS and HR Vendors
  • Second conference call meeting held on June 23rd
• Application Design and Development
  • Detailed design completed; feedback on prototype screens provided by pilot districts
  • Development will begin in July

State Longitudinal Data Systems Grant - ESE received a 6 million dollar grant from the US Department of Education that includes funding to begin implementation of the School Interoperability Framework - an initiative that will increase efficiency, value and decrease districts' data collection and reporting burden.

• Project Management staff will be in place by August 1st
• Grant Opportunity
  • The timeline for release of the grant application has been delayed until late September. This will be a competitive grant opportunity for 30-40 districts.
  • The grants will provide funding for districts to implement SIF technology that will be used for data reporting to ESE and to increase the efficiency of data systems within districts.

For additional information please visit the Data Collection website at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/. or contact the data collection office at 781-338-3282.