Blog
Learning never stops.
The UPD team is constantly looking for ways to learn more about our industry and, by extension, improve the results we achieve for our clients. Our blog is where we share our latest thinking.
The Data Use Five
We believe that UPD was put on this Earth to help states, districts, and schools perform at fundamentally higher levels. Kids and parents deserve it, and our ever-globalizing economy needs it. As I reflect on our…
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Measurable Growth That Produces Immeasurable Impact
Football season is in full swing, and for those of us who care, it is the best time of the year. This year, as I watched training camp and pre-season coverage, I noticed something. It…
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The Value of Scrutiny
To paraphrase Stevie Wonder, “I am amazed but not amused” by the current contention that the “Youtube Effect” is partially to blame for the spike in violent crime that some cities are experiencing this year….
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Many-Time School Consultant…First-Time School Parent
This will be my first year as a school parent. My baby girl (well, five-year-old big girl) is getting ready to go off to kindergarten and start her school career. As we prepare, there are…
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Have a job you love? Thank the job you didn’t.
I write this now, at the edge of the smallest town in which I have ever lived. Granted, I’m only living here two weeks, but still. The region of San Carlos is about 40 minutes…
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Adjusting Is Hard
Adjusting is hard. You don’t need me to tell you that. You also know that it is a necessary part of life. Duh! What is weird though is that we (me included) often seem to…
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Empathy For The People You Serve
The altercation between Sandra Bland and Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia has stayed in my head for the sheer senselessness of it and the tragic result, but also because of the lessons we might learn…
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Getting to the Core of Our Work
When I was a little girl, I was not very athletic but I was very social. I wanted to be where everyone else was and do what they were doing, even if I was not…
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Perspectives of Summer
It’s summer time and that means many of us will be out and about with vacations, travel or just enjoying the summer sun. Summer vacations are often full of new experiences. It’s the time when…
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Early Work in Ed-Fi Early Warning Systems
Does the Ed-Fi framework have the potential to serve as a foundation for a spectrum of approaches to early warning systems? I believe it does. But let’s ask ourselves a few key questions: Should Ed-Fi provide…
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