AUSTIN, Texas & KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Social Solutions Global, in partnership with Ballmer Group, today announced Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) as the first district in the country to join the organizations’ national initiative to share data for increased program integration between local program organizations and school districts. The technology partnership will allow the district and local nonprofit organizations to collaborate, share program insights, and provide 360-degree support for the students they serve to drive better student outcomes.
"To help give children a better shot at the American dream, communities, government agencies, and nonprofits touch their lives in multiple ways, yet this sector often lacks the technology to uncover life-changing insights and drive systemic change," said Ballmer Group co-founder and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "We can do better to connect the dots and protect privacy at the same time."
“Our mission is to provide a better education for all of our students, and we’re making solid progress, as evidenced by our improved scores in this year’s state Annual Progress Report – our highest ever,” said KCPS Superintendent Mark Bedell. “This partnership, which will connect our schools with local nonprofits, will help us continue down the path to success, and we look forward to collaborating with organizations and programs in our community.”
Beyond using Social Solutions’ new Apricot 360 solution to more efficiently and effectively run programs, this partnership with KCPS will allow local K-12-focused nonprofits to better assess their impact in advancing a child’s success, incorporating areas such as improvements in grades or attendance. The program is part of Ballmer Group and Social Solutions’ commitment to changing deeply established education systems to focus on outcomes and a child’s overall well-being, rather than short-term programs or test scores.
“This partnership between Social Solutions and KCPS will enhance community-wide collaboration, allowing nonprofits to evolve our programs as we gain a true understanding of each child and their specific needs,” said Mike English, executive director of Turn the Page KC, which works to improve reading proficiency for children in grade three. “This is a breakthrough moment for creating the most positive future for our Kansas City students.”
“Nonprofits and schools each play a crucial role in serving our students, but historically they have operated in silos,” said Kristin Nimsger, CEO of Social Solutions. “We’re excited to connect local program organizations and school districts to provide real-time analysis and insights, to drive program referrals at the point of need and to help them collaborate better for optimal outcomes for all students.”
The Ballmer Group investment in Social Solutions Global is funding the development of software solutions that can integrate social service agencies, schools, and community-based nonprofits with state-of-the-art privacy protections for children and families. Additionally, matching grants will be provided to other Kansas City organizations across the public and nonprofit sectors who are seeking to leverage the power of technology to achieve common goals. To find out if an organization qualifies for these matching grants, or to learn more about Social Solutions’ Apricot 360 solution visit: https://www.socialsolutions.com/software/apricot-360/.
About Social Solutions Global
Social Solutions Global, the provider of Efforts to Outcomes (ETO®) and Apricot® Software, specializes in outcomes management software for human services, workforce, and education programs. Across the globe, our software is the leader in equipping thousands of organizations with the tools needed to transform the lives of children, adults, and families by making data useful to staff at all levels, from case managers to executive leadership. Follow us on Twitter: @SocialSolutions.
About Ballmer Group
Ballmer Group works to improve economic mobility for children and families in the United States who are disproportionately likely to remain in poverty. It supports the use of data and strong partnerships among public, private, and nonprofit organizations at the community level to more effectively serve families. Ballmer Group was co-founded by philanthropist and civic activist Connie Ballmer and her husband Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, founder of USAFacts, and chairman of the Los Angeles Clippers. Twitter: @BallmerGroup.