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Silicon Valley Regional Data Trust: Investing in the Future of Children, Families, and Communities
January 18, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ken Blackstone
(408) 453-6662
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 |