Now Available: 2019 Managing For Results Report From The Council Of The Great City Schools

By Phillip Smith | December 4, 2019

In 2004, the Council of Great City Schools (CGCS) set out to create a framework for measurement and analysis in school district operations and to help district business leaders think strategically about how to improve processes, conserve resources, and positively impact student achievement while managing the school district budget. In conjunction with TransACT, CGCS founded the ActPoint® KPI Project. For more than a decade, districts nationwide piloted the KPIs, and results are compared annually. 

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Crowd-Sourcing Solutions To Common Transportation Challenges

By Phillip Smith | May 24, 2019

When it comes to non-academic performance management, there are many ways that data can help districts gain efficiency and improve processes. While you may not have thought about measuring operational performance data as part of the equation for district success, data from departments like transportation, maintenance and operations, food service, and technology can produce valuable information about how schools and districts operate. This data drives the ability to discover and communicate efficient best-practices.

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Data Collection Made Easy: ActPoint KPI Simple Survey

By Phillip Smith | November 13, 2017

ActPoint KPI is a data intelligence tool that school district business and operations leaders around the country use to measure, compare and manage their performance on over 500 Key Performance Indicators related to Finance, Operations, Information Technology and Human Resources.

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Cost Reduction in Accounts Payable: Key Performance Indicators in School District Operations

By Phillip Smith | November 10, 2017

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are defined as "a quantifiable measure that is used to evaluate the success of an organization or of a particular activity (such as projects, programs, products and other initiatives) in which it engages." When applied effectively throughout an organization, KPI analysis provides valuable information about strengths and weaknesses in performance which can lead to cost savings and improved performance. 

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Performance Reports for School District Operations

By Phillip Smith | September 21, 2017

For the past decade, district operations leaders have shown that measuring and analyzing the performance of district operations can help create a high-performing, efficiently operating district that directly impacts student achievement. While there are any number of items a district operations leader can measure within their district, a focus on analyzing rigorous and proven Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in areas such as transportation, food services, maintenance, and business services departments across the district is proving to be pivotal in meeting the mission to cut costs and positively impact student outcomes. The Council of Great City Schools (CGCS) has developed a framework and an annual report to support operations leaders across the country in adopting KPI analysis in their districts.

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The New ActPointKPI Community Connects You to the Top Performing Districts in the Country

By Phillip Smith | July 27, 2017

Private sector entities rarely share what best practices they have employed to attain a competitive advantage. This is exactly the opposite of my experience in K12. Superintendents, administrators, educators want to share best practices so others can gain those advantages.  

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Innovative Solutions for Two Common District Operations Challenges

By Phillip Smith | May 25, 2017

At the 2017 COO conference for the Council of Great City Schools, operations leaders from across the country were asked to surface their biggest operations challenges and share innovative solutions they had found. Among the myriad of issues operations leaders face, districts reported 2 common challenges:

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Infographic: Using Data & KPIs to Drive Informed Decisions

By Phillip Smith | December 11, 2016
Total suspension and expulsion rates in California decreased since the 12-13 school year, but not all districts saw a reductionRead More

How Operational KPIs Can Help Mitigate a Budget Crisis

By Phillip Smith | November 22, 2016

The value of tracking operational key performance indicators (KPIs) stretches beyond maximizing return on investment (ROI) or influencing student achievement. The effective tracking and use of KPIs can also help school districts mitigate an impending budget crisis by making strategic and logical staffing and budget cuts.

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The 5 School Performance Indicators that Matter Most for School Business Officers

By Phillip Smith | November 17, 2016

School business officers have the difficult task of maximizing return on investment (ROI) while creating the financial conditions to put the most money in the classroom.

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