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Upcoming Snapshots for Accountability Reporting and Aid Calculations

Friday, December 13, 2019

Dear District Administrators,

This email is to alert you about the upcoming January 28 snapshot for data submitted through WISEdata. Once the snapshot is taken, the data are considered certified and final. The data are used for WISEdash public reporting; federal reporting including IDEA Child Count, Career and Technical Education, and ESSA; some funding allocations such as high poverty aid, Perkins, IDEA flowthrough, and preschool allocations; and for score calculations in the 2019-20 Accountability Report Cards. Given the impact and long-term use of these data, it is critical that your district’s data are accurate at the time of the January 28 snapshot.

What data are included in this snapshot?

  • 2018-19 Year End Completion data (used to calculate Graduation Rates, Dropout Rates, Chronic Absenteeism, and Discipline)
  • 2018-19 Roster and Career Education data
  • 2019-20 Third Friday September Enrollment
  • 2019-20 October 1 Child Count of students with disabilities

What will happen and when?

  • District staff have been recording data in your local SIS, which is pushed real-time to WISEdata and then nightly to WISEdash where the snapshot is taken.
  • District staff use tools to monitor their “data health” and see what it looks like prior to the snapshot.
  • The Customer Services team sends messages from now until the snapshot about specific areas to focus on for data quality. Errors should be fixed in your local SIS and pushed to WISEdata prior to the snapshot to ensure your district’s data are reported accurately.
  • On January 28, a “picture” is taken of the data in WISEdash. Your data is considered certified and final at this time.

What do I need to do next?

District administrators are ultimately responsible for their district’s snapshot data. Here are suggested steps for your district:

  • Work closely with your staff (assistants, special education director and staff, principals, etc.) to ensure data are accurate.
  • Use a team approach. Include staff members who work with enrollment, demographic and special education data.
  • Use the DPI Application Security Manager (ASM) web application accessed through the DPI WISEhome Page to provide staff access to the tools.
  • Reinforce the high stakes nature of the data and how it is used, i.e., WISEdash Public Portal, accountability reporting, and aid calculations.
  • Use the WISEdata Portal and WISEdash for Districts to catch data quality issues.
  • Read and acknowledge the data quality statement. The Acknowledgment Text appears when the WISEdata contact in your district logs into WISEdata. This serves as the assurance from the LEA that their October 1 Child Count is accurate and unduplicated and is needed to receive federal funds.

What if I need help?

These resource guides help you prepare for the snapshot: