Our team has been honored over the years to work with a wide range of public sector leaders across the country on their strategic initiatives. We have been so inspired this year by the stories our clients have shared with us regarding the innovative ways our Forecast5 solutions have been used to support their communities, students, and staff during this particularly challenging year.

Our Forecast5 Project of the Year Awards program was introduced to encourage analytics innovation and data curiosity. Thank you to all who shared their successes with us. It was a challenge for our team to select the most compelling stories and uses from all the submissions, as evidenced by our addition this year of an “Honorable Mentions” category.

At our Virtual Conference earlier this year, we honored eight organizations and awarded each a monetary donation to the cause of their choice. I am thrilled to share with you a few highlights from each of our 2020 Project of the Year award recipients.

HUNTINGTON BEACH UNION HIGH – KEEPING STUDENTS ON TRACK (California)

The Huntington Beach Union High team, including Superintendent Dr. Clint Harwick;
Assistant Superintendent, Educational Services Dr. Owen Crosby; Educational Technology and Information Systems Analyst Dau Hoang; and Educational Technology and Information Database Administrator Maria Conway used 5Lab to monitor the students at each grade level who might not be on track in terms of credits earned, so that they could quickly intervene to get these students back on track for graduation. Watch the video.

NEWTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT – HOW UNDERSTANDING "WHERE" HELPED SAVE MONEY FOR NEWTON COUNTY (Georgia)

Director of Testing, Research and Evaluation Dr. Allison Jordan used 5Maps to determine optimal placement of hotspots for students. By combining broadband overlay data with device access survey and SIS learning model data, Dr. Jordan was able to quickly and accurately identify students in need of hotspots for eLearning, not only ensuring the continuation of education, but also saving the district a significant amount of money in the process. Watch the video. 

UPPER MORELAND SCHOOL DISTRICT – ACCEPTING, ASSESSING & AUGMENTING THROUGH COVID-19 (Pennsylvania)

Chief Financial Officer Matthew Lentz used a combination of 5Cast and 5Cast Plus to more effectively communicate the district's financial situation to his Board, providing them with updated projections on year-end and supported these initial conversations with monthly updates showcasing how costs were shifting and where they were experiencing reductions in expected revenue. He also used 5Sight to identify potential areas for cost reductions and assist the Board in better understanding how long the district could carry a deficit if they did not adjust their spending priorities. Watch the video.

LOCKPORT TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL – TRACKING STUDENT WORK COMPLETION & STUDENT SUPPORT REFERRALS DURING REMOTE LEARNING (Illinois)

Superintendent Dr. Robert McBride, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Lorie Cristofaro, Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Jennifer Webb-Rea, and Director of Technology Matthew Dusterhoft used 5Lab to pull incomplete student assignment data—including entry date, grade level, department, course, teacher, and related student demographics—into a user-friendly dashboard that made it easy for administrators and student services staff to identify and focus on the teachers and students in need of assistance and additional supports. Watch the video. 

HIGHLINE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT – CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE WITH GEOSPATIAL ANALYTICS (Washington)

Chief Technology Officer Mark Finstrom used GuideK12/5Maps to to visualize apartment complexes, multi-family dwellings, home language, and socio-economic status on a map in order to make more informed decisions about who might lack internet access, the number of hotspots that might be needed, and the most effective communication approaches, while also keeping costs in mind. Watch the video.

STEPHENVILLE ISD – PREPARING FOR A S&P CREDIT RATING REVIEW (Texas)

New Executive Director of Finance and Operations Teri Hodges was tasked with creating new methods to communicate the district's finances to the school board, community, and outside entities. By using 5Sight for historical data, 5Cast for annual planning and revenue and expense scenarios, and 5Cast Plus for intra-year month-to-date reporting to the board, Teri was able to not only more effectively communicate with her Board, but also was able to secure an improved S&P Management Rating as a result of instituting a formalized financial planning process using Forecast5 solutions. Watch the video. 

AKRON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT – TRACKING ELEARNING THROUGH GOOGLE CLASSROOM (Ohio)

Manager of Testing and Assessment, Office of School Improvement, Aaron Markovic; Programmer Analyst, Student Information Systems, Data Services Team Joe Allison; and Coordinator of Data Services Lucy Wiant used 5Lab's Google Classroom dashboards to get a nightly look into their student eLearning engagement levels. Akron was able to view, by school, the engagement in Google Classroom and the number of assignments being created by staff members. This insight provided the district with the ability to not only better support students, but also provide targeted professional development opportunities for staff. Watch the video.

EATONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT #404 – ANALYTICS-DRIVEN COMMUNICATIONS (Washington)

Director of Finances and Human Resources Kim Knight used a combination of Forecast5 products. Eatonville partnered with Forecast5 to leverage comparative data and introduce multi-year projections. Using 5Sight, they were able to benchmark with peer districts in their area as well as similar districts from across the state to help explain why they were making important budget cuts at a time when most districts were increasing spending. They also utilized 5Cast to present different scenarios to their board to illustrate why reductions were needed at that time and the impact to the district in future years. Watch the video.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Sun Prairie
Teacher Compensation Model Adjustment
Wisconsin
5Sight

Northwest ISD
Ensuring Equity and Access
Texas
5Lab |  5Maps

North Penn School District
Deep Dive into Special Education
Pennsylvania
5Sight |  5Cast

West Valley School District
5 Steps to Student Success
Washington
5Lab

Ector County ISD
Supporting Students Beyond Campus Walls Using Geospatial Data
Texas
5Maps

Hinsdale Township HSD 86
Measuring Teacher Performance
Illinois
5Lab

Orland CHSD 230
An Eye on Equity
Illinois
5Lab

Oconomowoc
COVID-19 Response Dashboard
Wisconsin
5Lab

City of Hubbard
Using Dashboards to Increase Efficiency
Oregon
5Cast Plus

Congratulations once again to all our nominees, award recipients, and Honorable Mentions! We encourage you to consider submitting your own success story for the 2021 Project of the Year Awards Program so we can continue to celebrate your successes!

View the 2019 Project of the Year Award Recipients...

View the 2018 Project of the Year Award Recipients...