DESIGNING ARCHITECTURE

STAR

Five Tenets of STAR

STAR And NCLB

Interoperability Framework

Zone Integration Server

Vertical Distribution

Data Applications

Integrating Technology

DESIGNING ARCHITECTURE FOR SCHOOL INTEROPERABILITY
The Enid Public School District has recognized the importance for the demands of accurate and timely information including the extraction of data across multiple platforms. The task of obtaining accurate data has become extremely difficult and expensive. Additionally, new legislation is requiring all districts to move forward with plans to make data-driven decisions that will be stored centrally in a student-achievement, data warehouse. To address these issues, Enid’s Information Technology Department has initiated a goal to begin implementing third-party software solutions (Edustructures) in order to address the district’s core software needs. The purpose of this goal is to significantly reduce operational costs over the short term and to alleviate site-specific silos of information by centralizing data throughout the district.

Enid Public Schools will initiate all necessary points required for the planned implementation of methods addressing the issues of horizontal data through the application of a Zone Integrated Server. This goal will be achieved through the construction of a new infrastructure which supports fail-safe, centralized seamless data that will soon be available to the Oklahoma State Department of Education on a real-time WAVE web-based network.

Enid Public Schools is in the process of seeking a new vision of information technology as a key enabler for enhancing the teaching and learning experience. Unified with this vision is the design of a data system which will provide interoperability, standardization, and centralized management. In addition to the unification of data, it is imperative that critical information be available on demand to teachers, administrators and the Oklahoma State Department of Education. The newly designed infrastructure includes two Dell Power Edge Rack Mounted Servers and a Dell/EMC SAN containing nearly three Terabytes of disk space which will allow centralized storage, fault tolerance, and streamlining administration of district data across fifteen remote sites.

In conjunction with the newly designed data center and with the district needs a priority, several telecommunications providers were researched to determine which could not only best support the district’s rapid growth but also meet state requirements. After careful deliberations, Enid Public Schools signed a contract to employ the services of Southwestern Bell Communications Inc. (SBC/AT&T) to provide the networking services. Under the terms of this agreement, San Antonio-based SBC will provide broadband-access to the Internet at the district’s fifteen schools. The intent of this contract is to move the current broadband services from three megabits to a hundred megabits by January 1, 2006.

These services will allow the Enid Public School District to expand distance learning programs, access applications, and offer online testing for its students as required by the Oklahoma Department of Education. The district will also have the right technological architecture in place to provide on demand real-time assessment information needed by the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

The plan for the near future will be to provide all school employees and students with access to a high-speed backbone, wireless system at most schools. The wireless capability will provide principals with access to retrieve real-time student information through hand-held PC’s. In addition, the hand-held PC will be a valuable tool for the principals while conducting teacher performance evaluations using the district’s “Teacher Appraisal System.”

The end result of the infrastructure improvements and the installation of the Zone Integration Server will provide a mechanism for synchronizing data across various third-party applications currently in operation in the district. This will include the first phase of implementation of SIF compliant, Wen-GAGE® SI System software, Follett Library software applications, real-time electronic grade book, integrated Health Services (SNAP), and Special Education applications, (SEAS). The second phase of SIF compliant software application to the ZIS will include E-Portfolio Student Information Credentialing, School Lunch accounting systems, Student Response System, all housed in an Academic Data Warehouse.