Dynamic Data Duo: Two Data Managers Look Back and Move Forward
Episode 38
Release Date: January 11, 2024
Guests: Amy Patterson, data manager with the Kentucky Department of Education, and Alisa Fewkes, data manager with the Idaho Department of Education
The turn of a new year is the perfect moment to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going next. We might even wish to share with others a few of the things we've learned along the way. On this inaugural 2024 installment of A Date with Data, we’re doing just that as host Amy Bitterman sits down with Amy Patterson, data manager with the Kentucky Department of Education, and Alisha Fewkes, data manager with the Idaho Department of Education, to contemplate lessons learned and to offer a word or two of guidance to newcomers to the field.
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Episode Transcript
00:00:01.52 >> You're listening to "A Date with Data" with your host, Amy Bitterman.
00:00:07.34 >> Hey. It's Amy, and I am so excited to be host... staff who just like you are dealing with IDEA data every day.
00:00:19.50 >> "A Date with Data" is brought to you by the IDEA Data Center.
00:00:24.87 >> Hello. Welcome to "A Date with Data." On this ...sible for? So love to hear what you do in each of your states.
00:01:14.39 >> Sure. So my name is Amy Patterson, and I am th... much as not responsible for writing the SPP/APR or the SSIP.
00:02:05.67 >> Got you. Okay. Thanks, Amy. How about you, Alisa?
00:02:08.78 >> Hi. I'm Alisa Fewkes. I am the Data and Report...ng, submission. Thankfully, as Amy said, don't do the SSIP ...
00:03:41.57 >> Mm-hmm.
00:03:41.78 >> ... so very glad about that. We have other fol...I troubleshoot with them trying to figure out what's going on.
00:04:05.47 >> Mm-hmm.
00:04:06.71 >> So, what I am hearing is you both have ...
00:04:11.79 >> Yes.
00:04:12.20 >> ...a wide variety of responsibilities ...
00:04:19.72 >> Yes.
00:04:21.22 >> ...and it sounds like a lot of those ...
00:04:26.16 >> Yes.
00:04:28.26 >> ...similar to what other states ...
00:04:33.52 >> Yes.
00:04:35.65 >> ...in your role. So I know you ...
00:04:39.74 >> Yes.
00:04:41.52 >> ...work with districts ...
00:04:43.60 >> Mm-hmm.
00:04:44.22 >> ...and provide trainings ...
00:04:46.31 >> Mm-hmm.
00:04:47.23 >> ...and technical assistance ...
00:04:50.31 >> Yes.
00:04:51.33 >> ...and then ...
00:04:52.49 >> Mm-hmm.
00:04:53.52 >> ...you're ...
00:04:54.38 >> Yes.
00:04:55.66 >> ...preparing the data ...
00:04:57.16 >> Yes.
00:04:58.31 >> ...for submission ...
00:05:00.07 >> Mm-hmm.
00:05:01.34 >> ...and also ...
00:05:02.46 >> Mm-hmm.
00:05:03.40 >> ...analyzing the data ...
00:05:05.12 >> Yes.
00:05:06.49 >> ...and using it ...
00:05:08.13 >> Yes.
00:05:09.61 >> ...for improvement ...
00:05:12.64 >> Mm-hmm.
00:05:13.72 >> ...efforts ...
00:05:14.61 >> Yes.
00:05:16.27 >> ...and then also ...
00:05:18.12 >> Mm-hmm.
00:05:19.22 >> ...writing and submitting ...
00:05:22.21 >> Yes.
00:05:23.45 >> ...your SPP/APR ...
00:05:25.22 >> Yes.
00:05:26.60 >> ...and, ...
00:05:28.15 >> Mm-hmm.
00:05:29.04 >> ...so you're ...
00:05:30.21 >> Mm-hmm.
00:05:31.22 >> ...wearing a lot ...
00:05:32.66 >> Yes.
00:05:33.49 >> ...of different hats ...
00:05:35.16 >> Yes.
00:05:36.62 >> ...as state data managers ...
00:05:38.28 >> Yes.
00:05:39.69 >> ...in your roles.
00:05:41.16 >> Yes.
00:05:42.23 >> So to get started ...
00:05:44.17 >> ...I'd love to ask you ...
00:05:45.54 >> ...what ...
00:05:46.62 >> ...has been ...
00:05:47.72 >> ...the most challenging ...
00:05:50.33 >> ...part of your job ...
00:05:52.03 >> ...as a state data manager?
00:05:54.24 >> I know that's a big question ...
00:05:56.79 >> ...maybe we can start ...
00:05:58.66 >> ...with Amy.
00:06:00.46 >> Sure. ...
00:06:02.58 >> For me ...
00:06:04.30 >> ...I would say ...
00:06:06.11 >> ...the most challenging ...
00:06:08.07 >> ...part is ...
00:06:09.87 >> ...keeping up with ...
00:06:12.00 >> ...all the changes ...
00:06:13.85 >> ...that are happening ...
00:06:15.66 >> ...both ...
00:06:17.00 >> ...at the federal level ...
00:06:18.72 >> ...and within our state ...
00:06:20.61 >> ...and then ...
00:06:22.16 >> ...making sure ...
00:06:23.57 >> ...that districts ...
00:06:25.00 >> ...understand those changes ...
00:06:27.07 >> ...and implement them ...
00:06:28.69 >> ...correctly ...
00:06:30.20 >> ...in their data ...
00:06:31.62 >> ...systems ...
00:06:33.14 >> ...and reporting.
00:25:45.43 >> Me, too.
00:25:47.18 >> Well, thank you both so much. Really appreciate your time today. And it sounds like you have a lot of great stuff coming up.
00:26:04.37 >> To access podcast resources, submit questions, and connect with us, visit the podcast page on the IDC website at IDEAdata.org.