Edustructures Awarded Contract for Educational Data Management System by the State of Ohio

Business Wire, Oct 10, 2007

Leading Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF[R]) Solutions Provider to Implement Longitudinal Data Systems Project for the Ohio Department of Education

SALT LAKE CITY -- Edustructures, the leading provider of Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF[R]) solutions for the pK-12 education market, today announced that the company has been chosen to implement the state Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) Redesign for Longitudinal Data Systems for the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). EMIS is Ohio's primary data collection system for collecting and reporting pK-12 education data. The award was made final on July 3, 2007. As prime contractor, Edustructures will oversee project implementation and deliver SIF-based solutions to ensure accurate, timely and secure data flow between ODE and the 26 regional sites which report data for approximately 1.8 million students in the state of Ohio, including three large independent districts and 23 Information Technology Centers (ITC's) representing 725 school districts, Educational Service Centers, and Community Schools.

All infrastructure and integration components for the project will be based on the Edustructures SIFWorks[R] integration platform, consisting of the SIFWorks Enterprise Zone Integration Server (ZIS), the SIFWorks Vertical Reporting Framework[R] (VRF[TM]), the SIFWorks ADK[R] (Agent Development Kit), and the SIFWorks Student Locator Framework (SLF[TM]). These are the same solution elements currently in place in the Virginia, South Carolina and Wyoming statewide SIF integration implementations. Additionally, Edustructures has partnered with IBM to design, deliver and implement a customized Operational Data Store and Validation Web Interface.

The Edustructures solution will replace current flat file submission with SIF-based, dynamically defined vertical reports--a format that allows the State to decide what to collect and when to collect it--available in a relational Operational Data Store. Batch-mode collection will be replaced with automated SIF-based collections that are less labor intensive and allow the State to "schedule" collections, providing the ability to collect more and better data at a higher frequency. Ultimately, by providing a system that is more responsive to ever-changing reporting requirements, the state will gain improvements in data quality and timeliness that allows administrators and educators to make informed educational and administrative decisions.

"Because good data management, interoperability and reporting is central to educational success, adopting SIF is one of the most strategic decisions any local or state education agency can make," said Steve Curtis, CEO and president of Edustructures. "The launch of this highly automated system will facilitate critical decision-making, allowing the ODE to better support the needs of pK-12 students and educators statewide. We are pleased to be chosen for this groundbreaking project."

About Edustructures

Edustructures is the recognized leader in SIF integration solutions for the pK-12 education market, making it possible for market-leading Student Information, Library, Transportation, Cafeteria and Directory solutions to reliably and securely share data in real-time. Through its SIFWorks[R] integration platform, comprehensive professional services, and business relationships with technology providers and educators, Edustructures connects the systems that power education. For more information about Edustructures, please visit www.edustructures.com.