Gillett schools OK new analytics program

To get a clearer understanding of student testing data, the Gillett School District approved a three-year subscription to an analytics program during the Feb. 17 school board meeting.

Superintendent Todd Hencsik said he saw a presentation on the Student Analytics Lab, formerly called 5Lab, by Frontline Education and heard that it came highly recommended.

“CESA-7 and the cohort for Redefining Ready pushed that this a program you have to use,” said Hencsik.

He added that gaining access to the analytics program checks a box for the district.

“Part of our strategic plan is looking at the alternate report cards and showing what our students are doing,” Hencsik said.

The three-year subscription will cost the district $45,335.78, which will be funded by ESSER III under the American Rescue Plan Act.

He told the board that the program will help educators make sense out of students’ test scores.

“Basically, what this program will do is take everything from the programs we have now and load it into the system,” said Hencsik. Once school officials enter in the ACT scores, data from the Wisconsin Forward Exams and other test results, “it will put this data into a warehouse and customize reports for us.”

The program is sophisticated enough to alert staff to potential red flags in achievement and even help teachers come up with educational solutions.

“There is a report in there that is an early warning indicator,” said Hecsik. “It will take the data that we have and produce intervention pieces for our staff.”

He added that this program will help to eliminate the staff time that it takes to break down data to form a plan.

Board member Katie Daul asked who would be entering the information that would not be automatically entered.

Hencsik replied, himself.

“For example, we would have to get access to the pre-ACT data, put it into a file and upload it into the system,” said Hencsik.

Board treasurer Cliff Gerbers said that in discussion in the finance committee about the program, there was excitement about the opportunity to tailor solutions down to the student level.

“We can modify a plan to suit the student,” said Gerbers. “It is going to have to be all of the staff to help.”

Hencsik added that he will work on getting more information and sharing experiences with the school board.