Today was the second time in two months that I was able to hear a
presentation by John Sipple, the Director of the New York State Center for
Rural Schools out of Cornell University. He shared a set of interactive
data tools that his organization has created in partnership with Cornell’s
Program on Applied Demographics (PAD).
John walked a few of us through this tool and showed us the wealth of
information available. He
demonstrated how to use the data to compare our elementary schools to those
most similar to ours across the state. He easily projected and graphed enrollment
for Warwick K-12 for next 10 years. We looked at everything from graduation
rates to population migration to ELA scores.
Urban areas throughout NYS have had much easier access to this type
of demographic information through various organizations and now thanks to
Cornell, and the university's commitment to giving back to NYS, rural and
suburban districts have access to this robust data as well. The bonus is
that it’s free and available to anyone who wants to go to their website.
Today’s meeting provided another opportunity for me to learn something
valuable that will hopefully make me a better board member. Only one year in and I have gained a
better grasp on how public education works in NYS. From understanding GEA's, APPR, and SLO's, to appreciating
why effective teaching, reasonable class sizes and up-to-date learning are all
part of a sound basic education, I’ve really come to know why I want to equip
our district leaders with the tools to make the best decisions possible. Today John Sipple provided us with an
excellent resource click on the following link to view: New York State Center for Rural Schools. Play around a
bit. Have some fun. Show your kids unemployment rates
broken down by those with only a HS diploma vs. those with a Bachelor’s
Degree. Compare us to your
sister’s school in Westchester.
And if you come across something interesting, share it with the rest of
us.
Submitted by Sharon Davis
