Agenda Text
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Requesting acceptance of a grant of $110,000 from the MA Government Innovation Office partially funding a longitudinal integrated data system for the Public Schools in concert with SomerPromise and Code for America.
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Official Text
To the Honorable Board:
I respectfully request that your Board vote to acceptance a $110,000 grant to the City of Somerville from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that will provide partial funding for the development of an Integrated Data System (IDS) for the Somerville Public Schools, to be developed in collaboration with the SomerPromise program.
I am very pleased to inform the Board of Aldermen that the City of Somerville is one of eight cities nationally selected for the prestigious 2015 Code for America Fellowship, and via the Fellowship, civic technology developers will work with the Somerville Public Schools to develop an Integrated Data System (IDS) that will bring significant and critical new capabilities to the school’s ability to improve educational and life outcomes for our students. The project builds upon an existing multi-year partnership between Tufts University and the City of Somerville that requires development of the IDS to move forward in the partnership’s efforts to improve educational services via data-based information systems. The compelling need and the quality of the IDS project has garnered support as well from The Boston Foundation and Microsoft New England, which have both committed funding. With the Board’s support of this generous grant from the State, will complete the fundraising goals for the project.
The IDS will provide a longitudinal, integrated data system that tracks children’s risk/protective factors, life transitions, and consumption of agency services, both inside and outside of school thus giving decision makers and educators at different levels greater access to data about children and youth to achieve the following desired outcomes among others:
A/ real-time, data-based interventions for better educational outcomes,
B/ longitudinal analysis and cost-benefit analysis of educational initiatives and interventions,
C/ legibility of 0-k data to allow for early intervention that can greatly improve life outcomes and create significant savings for the school system.
In accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 44, Section 53A, which requires a vote of the Board of Aldermen for the expenditure of grants or gifts from the federal government and from a charitable foundation, private corporation, or an individual, or from the Commonwealth, a county or municipality or agency thereof, we request approval to expend this grant.
Respectfully submitted,
Joseph A. Curtatone
Mayor