SAN JOSE, CA – Representatives from the Silicon Valley
Regional Data Trust (SVRDT), a partnership between the Santa Clara, San Mateo, and
Santa Cruz county offices of education; the University of California, Santa
Cruz; and health and human services agencies in the tri-county region of the
Silicon Valley, yesterday unveiled the governance model for a scalable, secure
integrated data system that will support research, policy, and practice. The “DataZone”
data warehouse, administered by the Santa Clara County Office of Education
(SCCOE), is the education data repository for the initiative and is the hub for
the SVRDT.
At a luncheon hosted by the SCCOE, partners of the
initiative were treated to a keynote address from Dr. Priscilla Chan, Co-Founder
of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and CEO of The Primary School. They were also
provided a demonstration of the DataZone’s functionality and its FosterVision
application that provides critical information to social workers, probation
officers and student services personnel who serve some of our most at-risk
youth. Attendees heard a lively panel discussion with the Honorable Patrick
Tondreau, presiding judge of the Santa Clara County Juvenile Justice Court;
UCSC genomic researcher, Dr. David Haussler; and Juan Cruz, superintendent of
Franklin-McKinley School District, on the importance of using comprehensive data
to improve academic outcomes for children. The panel was hosted by Dave Cortese,
president of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and SVRDT Executive
Steering Committee member.
Because the agencies participating in the SVRDT have
traditionally had their own data systems, there have always been obstacles in
sharing and using these data to coordinate services and provide timely support
for children and families in our communities. This has resulted in problems
both in analyzing issues facing children and the delivery of potential
solutions, especially for children of poverty. A well-managed regional data
trust will provide a comprehensive understanding of factors contributing to
student failure and success. By applying advanced data analytics, SVRDT has the
potential to improve the effectiveness of services and improve academic
outcomes for children.
The launch of SVRDT and the DataZone with support from the
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative means that even the small-to-mid-sized school
districts in the Valley will have affordable access to this sophisticated
technology to support data-driven decision-making.
At the luncheon, Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay)
was also recognized for his efforts on behalf of the SVRDT in the California
legislature for carrying forward a successful Assembly Resolution citing the
SVRDT as a statewide model for integrated data systems.
For more information, visit
www.svrdt.org
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