By Jay Waagmeester, Florida Phoenix
In Summary:
The revamped FloridaOpenGov website compiles state education data into searchable datasets, charts, and maps. Users can analyze trends such as district grades over time, spending comparisons, and the relationship between free lunch rates and academic performance. The tool is designed to help parents, teachers, and policymakers better understand and use education data to inform decisions.
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Florida State University’s DeVoe L. Moore Institute has launched its revamped FloridaOpenGov, featuring visuals on the state’s schools using state data.
State reports such as school grades, graduation rates, demographics, and spending are compiled on the website.
Related: OCPS opens Magnet and Scholastic Academy applications to all families, including outside the district.
The resource is designed by students in FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy.
“One of our goals moving forward with the revamp of the website is to build capacity for Florida teachers, parents, and students to be able to tell compelling stories with the data in order to inform policy decisions within and across districts and schools,” Crystal Taylor, director of research at the institute, said in a news release.
The website allows Floridians to see how their district performs compared to other areas of the state.
Among the updates on the website are district grades over time, district grades vs. salary, free lunch rates vs. grades, and maps showing district enrollment and graduation rates by category.
Datasets are searchable, and charts and maps are interactive.
Key Points:
- FloridaOpenGov was redesigned by students at FSU’s College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
- The platform includes data on school grades, graduation rates, demographics, and spending
- Users can compare district performance across the state using interactive charts and maps
- New features include visualizations of district grades over time and correlations with salary and free lunch rates
- The tool aims to help Floridians use data to inform education policy and local decision-making
