UpMetrics Presents Findings to San Francisco Recreation & Parks Commissioners on Data-Driven Approach

By Bryan Kitch

"We were invited in March [of 2019] to present the Commissioners' Panel of San Francisco Recreation & Parks with a data-driven framework for the Tennis & Learning Center," outlines UpMetrics CEO Drew Payne, "as the case study around the impact that Tennis & Learning Center has had across four partner school sites here in San Francisco. We think there is an opportunity to scale that approach across a variety for Rec & Parks programs."

This approach, co-created by UpMetrics and the Tennis & Learning Center [TLC] operations team, was based on making use of existing, available program data and correlating that with academic outcomes, health & wellness, and social & emotional learning assessments at each of the partner schools.

​"TLC had access to that outcome data, as well as records of their program's engagement statistics over time—we analyzed those data for them, and met with the TLC operations team on a regular basis, visiting the program site on several occasions," says Payne. "One of the things we communicated to the Commissioners' Panel was that this was not a top-down, reporting approach relative to data—it's about how you apply analytics and map that knowledge to program design, and the impact you're looking to have in the community. So, this was a bottom-up approach, working directly with the TLC staff, and part of that was meeting the team, and actually seeing the program in action."

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"One of the things we communicated to the Commissioners' Panel was that this was not a top-down, reporting approach relative to data—it's about how you apply analytics and map that knowledge to program design, and the impact you're looking to have in the community."

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"One of the challenges was working together to move from a 100% pen-and-paper system into a digital format,” Darrell Stewart, Partnership Manager at UpMetrics, explains. “After working together to outline what data to collect and analyze, they’ve moved to a system where they can submit consent waivers and receive the data digitally, rather than using paper report cards to monitor outcomes for their participants."

“The program operators were really interested to see benchmarking, retention data, academic performance, SEL, and health,” Payne says. “We spoke with the panel about how it’s important to not only use data to drive external storytelling, but also to use data internally, for goal-setting and operations, focusing on success metrics and quality control. For this meeting, we really wanted to focus on the internal use of data to help guide programming.”

In the coming months, UpMetrics will be working with five additional Recreation & Parks programs—the Healthy Parks Healthy People Program, Peace Parks, Recess Support Programs, Girls Sports Programs, Cities Connecting Children to Nature Initiative—in addition to continuing to support the Tennis & Learning Center.