Input from an advisory panel of teachers and instructional leaders representing a broad cross-section of the division’s schools has led to the selection of a new assessment and data analysis system for Albemarle County Public Schools. The new system, provided by Illuminate Education, will be in place by the beginning of next school year.

With its SchoolNet contract expiring this year, the division initiated a review of its assessment and data analysis needs and solicited proposals from various system contractors. Among the review panel’s top priorities was the selection of a system that will continue to evolve with technology developments and provide an intuitive user experience. Among the advantages of the Illuminate Education system is that it enhances the ability of teachers to analyze and manage assessment data, making it more convenient and adaptable in aligning classroom instruction with individual student needs.

The school division received 15 bids from contractors. Over a period of several months, groups of teachers and central office staff reviewed proposals and product demonstrations. This led to a division-wide hands-on work session where teachers from each school were able to compare two finalists and provide feedback.

Configuration and testing of the Illuminate Education system will begin in January, followed by a small pilot implementation with a group of teachers. Training for all school staff will be delivered in late spring and throughout the summer in preparation for the system going fully live at the beginning of the new school year in August.

The early founders of what is now Illuminate Education include educators, software engineers, and technology experts that the company says “understand how the fragmentation of data makes it difficult for educators to make critical decisions accurately and efficiently. Our goal is to put the power of data into the hands of end-users in a completely web-based and easy-to-use system.”

More than 100 school divisions across the country use Illuminate Education’s system. The new contract is for five years.