(Charlotte, N.C.) Mariner and Microsoft invite school district and Department of Education leaders to participate in its webseries on Tuesday, May 18th at 11am EST, 8am PST. The series, entitled “Managing for Performance: From the School to the State House,” highlights education analytics that improve student achievement and are the backbone of data-driven initiatives in K-12 organizations across the country. Previous sessions in the series, which began on January 19th, are available on-demand.

This month’s session highlights the importance of School Improvement Plans as central organizational tools for creating cycles of continuous improvement. (Detailed below )

This series provides participants with opportunities to interact with school district and Department of Education leaders to learn about strategies to improve student achievement, transparency and accountability. Register for this session at: www.mariner-usa.com/webseries.htm.

“The effective use of data is essential to the success of managing for performance,” said David “Fitz” Fitzgerald, Mariner’s Vice President, Education Group. “Teachers and principals need easy access to data views and education analytics to drive improvements in instruction and student outcomes.”

“It has never been more important for schools to acquire rich data transparency and education analytics solutions to help drive student achievement, test scores and curriculum needs that will help educators map to state standards and students’ career aspirations,” said Anthony Salcito, vice president of worldwide education at Microsoft Corp. “Having that repository and toolset is going to be the key priority for schools as they strive for innovation and transformation in the classroom.”

Mariner and Microsoft showcased K-12 organizational leaders in a webseries that focused on the District Data Dashboard implemented by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in the spring of 2009 that generated interest from school district administrators and educational leaders in the US and globally. Archives of these sessions are also available for reference.

Superintendents, Chief Accountability Officers, Chief Curriculum & Instruction Officers and Title I Program Directors and their direct reports are encouraged to participate in this session.

Upcoming web session details:

May 18
Managing the Performance: Using Data for School Improvement Planning
Robert Avossa, Chief Accountability Officer, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Mr. Avossa will discuss improving student and teacher outcomes through data analysis, describing the foundational elements of CMS’s school improvement plans, steps taken to establish cycles for continuous improvement, and benefits of greater transparency, accountability and achievement.
To sign up for this session, please go to: www.mariner-usa.com/webseries.htm
Archived web sessions at www.mariner-usa.com/webseries.htm:

The Strategic Planning Process: How to Get Started
Dr. Gregory Firn, Superintendent, Anson County Schools
From Strategy to Students: Realizing the Visions
Jonathan Raymond, Superintendent, Sacramento Unified City School District
Understanding Student Achievement over the Long-term through Student Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDSs)
Irene Koffink, and Michael Schwartz, New Hampshire Department of Education
Please visit www.mariner-usa.com/webseries.htm to view archived sessions.

Mariner, Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner of the Year for 2008 in Performance Management Solutions and TDWI’s Best Practices Award Implementation Partner for 2009, specializes in business intelligence, data warehousing, business scorecards and performance dashboards to help clients improve productivity and decision making in a variety of industries including the education, utility and healthcare sectors. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner with specializations in Business Intelligence and Performance Management Solutions, Mariner helps organizations translate strategy into action. Mariner-Realizing Visions with Technology. www.mariner-usa.com.