Friday, January 23, 2009

Looking for teachers/parents with views on ARIS

I won't get into what I think of the Education Sector and always have reasons to suspect their motives. But Leonie may have a point here. Let's see what they come up with though I wouldn't be surprised if they find ARIS to be one of the great inventions of all time.


For parents and teachers who have experience and/or views on the value or importance of ARIS, data inquiry teams or other aspects of the DOE accountability initiative, please contact Catherine at ccullen@educationsector.org from the think-tank Education Sector.

See her email below. It is important that she hear from stakeholders with a wide range of opinion on this important issue. Thanks, Leonie

From: Catherine Cullen
To: Leonie Haimson
Subject: RE: ARIS interview request

Ms. Haimson,

Thanks again for your time today. My email address is ccullen@educationsector.org. Here's a short blurb about the project:

Education Sector, a non profit think tank, is looking into the ways that technology can facilitate collaboration around student information. I'm seeking a broad range of perspectives on ARIS, the DoE's data warehouse. Please contact me at ccullen@educationsector.org if you are willing to share your experiences and opinions.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Catherine,

I've logged onto ARIS once or twice, and honestly, I don't understand what the big deal is. For one thing, all the student records were and are computerized, and guidance, attendance, deans and admin already had access to them. I've always been able to get whatever info I wanted about any kid I wanted it about.

Mostly what I seek is a list of working phone numbers so I can contact homes. I've found that going into the nurse's office and copying the emergency contacts is helpful, as many kids have the foresight to insert false numbers on their official records, but want to get real help in case they're hurt.

For 80 million bucks, I'd characterize ARIS as a huge waste of money, particularly when schools like mine are facing draconian cuts. For Chancellor Klein to now be looking at 65 million for some other computer system is preposterous and hurtful to city kids.

Hope that was helpful, and feel free to contact me if you wish.