FAQs
What is the RISE Network?
Launched in November 2015, RISE’s core and most comprehensive network represents a partnership between Connecticut public high schools and districts to support educators striving to ensure every RISE high school student graduates college and career ready. RISE members include teachers, school counselors, school administrators, and district leaders. As a community, we are built by RISE members for RISE members. Our specific focus is around high school-age youth, and we are partnering with nine high schools across the eight RISE districts, representing 13,000+ students and 1,000+ educators. The RISE high schools include: Brien McMahon High School (Norwalk), East Hartford High School (East Hartford), Francis T. Maloney High School (Meriden), Hartford Public High School (Hartford), Hill Regional Career High School (New Haven), Manchester High School (Manchester), Middletown High School (Middletown), Naugatuck High School (Naugatuck), Orville H. Platt High School (Meriden), and Westhill High School (Stamford).
What does RISE seek to accomplish?
The RISE Network’s mission is to empower educators to achieve breakthrough results, helping all students realize and achieve their full potential. The Network leverages the collective wisdom, diverse experiences and perspectives, and creative ideas of hundreds of educators. RISE creates a platform for teachers and leaders working tirelessly in their schools and districts to come together to improve educational outcomes.
How does RISE benefit students?
Students in RISE high schools benefit from new opportunities and resources to pursue their passions and college and career goals. RISE student supports are inspired by the innovative ideas and pioneering efforts of educators. Students benefit from new programs that support successful transitions between middle school and high school, as well as opportunities that promote college and career readiness and access. Specifically, RISE launched the RISE by 5 framework to dramatically improve student outcomes through five focus areas:
On-Track & Postsecondary Culture
School communities share a singular focus on results. Educators, students, and families work together to keep freshman success, on-track achievement, and college and career readiness at the forefront. Strategies to promote and incorporate on-track and postsecondary culture into our schools include on-track coaches, on-track conferences, on-track celebrations with families and students, and senior signing days.
Targeted Transition Supports
Students benefit from targeted transition supports in Grade 9 and in preparation for postsecondary pathways. These supports invest in critical moments, key staff, and focused student subgroups, and equitable practice. Such critical transition supports for students include Grade 9 summer bridge programs for incoming 9th-graders, after-school and Saturday sessions, summer college and career readiness academies for incoming 12th-graders, college application and FAFSA completion campaigns, and summer melt texting for graduated seniors.
Data-Driven Educator Collaboration
Teams engage in student-centered team meetings, leveraging data tools, protocols, and educator expertise to take a holistic approach to meet the individual needs of all students. Strategies include Grade 9 and postsecondary data teams, dashboard tools and workflow apps to support on-track efforts and postsecondary planning, strategic data calendars, and data-informed reflection and planning.
Equitable Educator Practice
Educators receive coaching, resources, and support to invest in educators as professionals, pursuing evidence-based ideas to create more rigorous, engaging, and inclusive classroom and school environments. Teachers, counselors, and administrators engage in ongoing and personalized coaching with RISE’s Freshman Success and Postsecondary Success Coaches.
Cross-School Learning
Network partners come together across schools to learn, grow, and improve. Teachers, counselors, and administrators share successes, challenges, and ideas to advance our shared goals and collective impact. Implementation among schools includes “role-alike” collaboratives and “goal-alike” convenings centered around Grade 9 and college and career readiness, as well as the cross-school research agenda.
These efforts require a deep understanding of students’ progress and growth areas, as well as specialized tools to support educators in meeting the needs of every student. Through the data dashboards, RISE has embarked on a collaborative design effort to meet these needs.
How does RISE benefit educators?
RISE also offers a variety of supports and opportunities for educators. RISE facilitates opportunities for teachers, counselors, and administrators to learn, share, and collaborate through convenings and professional learning opportunities.
If I want to learn more about my district’s participation in the RISE Network, who should I contact?
Please contact your district’s superintendent to learn more about your district’s participation in the RISE Network. To learn more about the RISE Network, please visit www.ctrise.org.
What are the data dashboards?
The dashboards were designed by educators for educators. The dashboards are web-based, interactive data tools that provide educators with secure access to data to better understand and meet the needs of every student. The dashboards are designed to empower educators with information to improve student learning and school programming. Data previously housed in disparate systems are now integrated and accessible to educators, consistent with best practices for protecting student privacy and improving educational outcomes for all students. Importantly, access to the dashboards is restricted to users with a legitimate educational interest to access student data, which is consistent with state and federal requirements and best practices protecting student privacy. Each district determines which educators should have access the dashboards.
Who designed the data dashboards?
RISE designed the dashboards in collaboration with educators from partner schools and districts. The dashboards reflect the vision and collective expertise of dozens of teachers, school administrators, and central office leaders in Connecticut. Educators came together through the RISE Data Working Group to identify data needs and to design specifications for dashboards analyzing different metrics (e.g., attendance, behavior, assessments, course grades, credit accumulation). RISE members are constantly improving the dashboards to better meet the needs of educators and students, which reflects the collaborative and innovative spirit of the Network.
How are the data for the dashboards generated?
All data displayed through the dashboards originate from district source information systems (e.g., PowerSchool, College Board data sets). No new data were collected or generated through the dashboard development process. RISE has entered into separate agreements with East Hartford, Hartford, Manchester, Meriden, Middletown, Naugatuck, New Haven, Norwalk, and Stamford Public Schools that allow for data sharing between RISE and each district, and ensure compliance with all state and federal requirements and best practices for student privacy and data security.
What ensures the data contained in the dashboards are secure?
Data integrity and data security are of paramount importance to the dashboards’ design and functionality. It is important to note that while dashboard websites are open and public, all student-level data remain locked behind password-protected displays. Pages containing data displays require unique user log-in credentials. This methodically restricts access to student-level data to credentialed school and district users identified by district leadership. Each step in the dashboard development and maintenance process incorporates multiple, secure, and encrypted processes.
How can I get a dashboard account?
School and district staff seeking access to the data dashboard should reach out to their district data administrator to request access. RISE will not create new accounts without express written directive from the district. Districts restrict dashboard access to appropriate school and district personnel, and credentials can be revoked at any point in time following district directive. New users will receive an email containing temporary log-in information. Upon receiving this information, educators must follow the instructions to re-set the password on the account.