BoardOnTrack is now a part of the TransACT team! Learn more about our partnership and its impact on charter school boards.

Phillip Smith

Phillip leverages extensive software and education industry experience to share innovative solutions for many of TransACT's customers and industry partners. As leader of AfterSchool21 and AfterSchool201 sales, he helps support after-school program administrators in parent pay management and accurate 21APR reporting. Phillip also leads the ActPoint KPI team and the Council of Great City Schools (CGCS) partnership. ActPointKPI supports district and state business leaders nationwide in their efforts to manage costs and drive resources back to the classroom.
Find me on:

Recent Posts

Tracking Data for the GEAR UP Annual Performance Report (And Beyond)

By Phillip Smith | August 23, 2021

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!  

Read More

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. 

Read More

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.

Read More

Press Release: South Carolina Department of Education Partners with ActPoint KPI for Food Services Management with Software

By Phillip Smith | August 16, 2018

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.

Read More

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.

Read More

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. 

Read More

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.

Read More

Food Services in School Cafeterias - 3 KPIs to Track

By Phillip Smith | September 7, 2017

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.

Read More

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.  

Read More

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:

Read More