Information Technology

U Minnesota To Aid Minneapolis Public Schools in Tech Assessment

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 02/17/15

The University of Minnesota is working with Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) on an assessment of the district and the building of a comprehensive technology strategy.

"Through this partnership, leaders from the university will provide insights and industry best practices for MPS leaders as they work to align and optimize the academic, administrative and information technology systems serving the district's more than 35,000 students and 6,000 plus staff members," according to a news release.

First, members of U Minnesota's Office of Information Technology will work with district administrators and IT members to review the district's technology systems with a focus on budget and finance, enterprise information systems, governance, organizational effectiveness, technology infrastructure and user support. The team will then make recommendations by the end of February.

"Minneapolis  students must graduate ready for college and career with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the 21st century," said Robert Doty, chief operating officer at MPS, in a prepared statement. "It's a vision that is built on our commitment to student success, and enabled, from the start, by effective and efficient technology. We thank the university for another great partnership that will benefit our schools and students."

The partnership is part of a larger effort by the university to collaborate "with organizations across the state to drive new insights, discoveries and excellence in education," according to a news release.

"We've made tremendous progress with the core technologies driving the academic mission of our institution," said Scott Studham, U Minnesota's vice president and chief information officer, in a prepared statement. "We look forward to sharing our learnings with district leaders, and to doing our part to support fellow educators in our local community."