The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences has awarded a total of $62.2 million in grants to 13 state education departments for the design and implementation of statewide longitudinal data systems.

These systems are intended to enhance the ability of States to efficiently and accurately manage, analyze, and use education data, including individual student records. The data systems developed with funds from these grants should help States, districts, schools, and teachers make data-driven decisions to improve student learning, as well as facilitate research to increase student achievement and close achievement gaps.

Isaac Grauke from EMSI will be speaking at an upcoming workforce-economic development summit presented by Turning Point WDB in North Carolina. His presentation is titled Strategic Advantage: Turning Data Into Information to Influence Policy and Planning Decisions and will cover aspects of how EMSI tools are used to solve real problems encountered by education, workforce and economic development professionals.

All of the workforce boards and many of the community colleges in North Carolina currently subscribe to EMSI’s Strategic Advantage planning suite.

Community College Week ranks the Top 100 Associate Degree Producers for the 2005-2006 academic year. The analysis is based on National Center for Education Statistics Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and includes a breakdown of producers by race/ethnicity and discipline.

Money Magazine compiles a list of the best places to live based on economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a sense of community.

Middleton, WI tops the list this year.