Running a GEAR UP program that supports hundreds or thousands of teenagers at the school or grant level is no easy task. Add the many administrative requirements of GEAR UP funding, including data collection, and that task can become monumental!  

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. 

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.

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) and TransACT Communications are announcing a partnership with South Carolina School Food Authorities (SFA’s) and ActPoint^®  KPI, a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) analytics system to help manage high quality food services programs.

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.

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. 

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.

In 2004, the Council of Great City Schools (CGCS) began its mission to provide school district operations leaders with a framework for measuring and improving their district's performance. One department that sees a particular uplift from regular performance measurement and adjustment is food services. Child Nutrition Services are a fundamental component of the services that school districts provide to their students, and they can have a measurable impact on student achievement. However, it is challenging to balance meeting nutrition standards for school meals, encourage students to participate in meal programs, and prove that programs are affordable and profitable.

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.  

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: