Student Predictive Analytics Services docs

Dear Todd Feathers:
Thank you for your interest in public records of Atlanta Public Schools. Your request has been received and is being processed in accordance with the State of Georgia's Sunshine Law. Your request was received in this office on 10/4/2023 and given the reference number R002798-100423 for tracking purposes. Records Requested: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Act, I hereby request records related to student predictive analytics services used by the district.

For the purpose of this request, the term "student predictive analytics services" means software or computer code that employs machine learning models to generate predictions about individual students or groups of students for one or more of the following purposes:

a) To generate predictions about students' likelihood of dropping out or graduating (these tools are sometimes called early warning systems).
b) To generate predictions about students' likely performance in individual classes, honors or AP programs, and/or on standardized tests (including state assessments, the ACT, SAT, etc.).
c) To generate predictions about students' attentiveness and/or emotional wellbeing.
d) To generate predictions about students' behavior and/or safety (e.g. whether a student is at risk of harming themselves or others).
e) To generate predictions that are used to determine whether students are placed in certain schools, programs, and/or classes.
f) To generate predictions about academic integrity (e.g. test proctoring software and generative AI detection).

My request applies to student predictive analytics services used by the district during the 2022-23 academic year, including those developed in-house by the district, purchased from a vendor, or provided by another agency (e.g. the state department of education or a university).

For each student predictive analytics service the district used during the 2022-23 academic year, I request:

1) All active contracts, statements of work, and data sharing agreements between the district and the provider regarding the student predictive analytics service.

2) Records defining the input variables and their weights/relative power for each predictive model used by the district during the 2022-23 academic year (In other words, records defining the data points fed into each predictive model and their respective impacts on the model's output).

3) Records documenting the accuracy (AUC, true/false positive, specificity, lift, etc.) of each predictive model the district used during the 2022-23 academic year.

4) Any validation studies, disparate impact studies, or other records documenting how the student predictive analytics services the district used during the 2022-23 academic year performed across different student groups (e.g. Black students vs. Hispanic students, male students vs. female students).

I ask that all fees be waived as I am a journalist and intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest about the operations of a government agency. If you choose to impose fees, I ask that you provide an explanation of the fees, including the hourly wage of the lowest-paid employee capable of fulfilling the request.

If you choose to reject this request or redact portions of responsive documents, I ask that you cite the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each portion from public review.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

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Atlanta Public Schools

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of October 04, 2023., Reference # R002798-100423.
Dear Todd Feathers,
The Atlanta Public Schools received a public information request from you on October 04, 2023. Your request mentioned: "To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Act, I hereby request records related to student predictive analytics services used by the district.

For the purpose of this request, the term "student predictive analytics services" means software or computer code that employs machine learning models to generate predictions about individual students or groups of students for one or more of the following purposes:

a) To generate predictions about students' likelihood of dropping out or graduating (these tools are sometimes called early warning systems).
b) To generate predictions about students' likely performance in individual classes, honors or AP programs, and/or on standardized tests (including state assessments, the ACT, SAT, etc.).
c) To generate predictions about students' attentiveness and/or emotional wellbeing.
d) To generate predictions about students' behavior and/or safety (e.g. whether a student is at risk of harming themselves or others).
e) To generate predictions that are used to determine whether students are placed in certain schools, programs, and/or classes.
f) To generate predictions about academic integrity (e.g. test proctoring software and generative AI detection).

My request applies to student predictive analytics services used by the district during the 2022-23 academic year, including those developed in-house by the district, purchased from a vendor, or provided by another agency (e.g. the state department of education or a university).

For each student predictive analytics service the district used during the 2022-23 academic year, I request:

1) All active contracts, statements of work, and data sharing agreements between the district and the provider regarding the student predictive analytics service.

2) Records defining the input variables and their weights/relative power for each predictive model used by the district during the 2022-23 academic year (In other words, records defining the data points fed into each predictive model and their respective impacts on the model's output).

3) Records documenting the accuracy (AUC, true/false positive, specificity, lift, etc.) of each predictive model the district used during the 2022-23 academic year.

4) Any validation studies, disparate impact studies, or other records documenting how the student predictive analytics services the district used during the 2022-23 academic year performed across different student groups (e.g. Black students vs. Hispanic students, male students vs. female students).

I ask that all fees be waived as I am a journalist and intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest about the operations of a government agency. If you choose to impose fees, I ask that you provide an explanation of the fees, including the hourly wage of the lowest-paid employee capable of fulfilling the request.

If you choose to reject this request or redact portions of responsive documents, I ask that you cite the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each portion from public review.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/ A time extension is needed to review your request and prepare a cost estimate letter. We will have an update by October Friday, October 20th.
If you have any questions, please submit them through the Open Records Center.
Sincerely,
Open Records

RE: PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST of October 04, 2023, Reference # R002798-100423
Dear Todd Feathers,
Atlanta Public Schools received a public information request from you on October 04, 2023. Your request mentioned: “To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Georgia Open Records Act, I hereby request records related to student predictive analytics services used by the district.

For the purpose of this request, the term "student predictive analytics services" means software or computer code that employs machine learning models to generate predictions about individual students or groups of students for one or more of the following purposes:

a) To generate predictions about students' likelihood of dropping out or graduating (these tools are sometimes called early warning systems).
b) To generate predictions about students' likely performance in individual classes, honors or AP programs, and/or on standardized tests (including state assessments, the ACT, SAT, etc.).
c) To generate predictions about students' attentiveness and/or emotional wellbeing.
d) To generate predictions about students' behavior and/or safety (e.g. whether a student is at risk of harming themselves or others).
e) To generate predictions that are used to determine whether students are placed in certain schools, programs, and/or classes.
f) To generate predictions about academic integrity (e.g. test proctoring software and generative AI detection).

My request applies to student predictive analytics services used by the district during the 2022-23 academic year, including those developed in-house by the district, purchased from a vendor, or provided by another agency (e.g. the state department of education or a university).

For each student predictive analytics service the district used during the 2022-23 academic year, I request:

1) All active contracts, statements of work, and data sharing agreements between the district and the provider regarding the student predictive analytics service.

2) Records defining the input variables and their weights/relative power for each predictive model used by the district during the 2022-23 academic year (In other words, records defining the data points fed into each predictive model and their respective impacts on the model's output).

3) Records documenting the accuracy (AUC, true/false positive, specificity, lift, etc.) of each predictive model the district used during the 2022-23 academic year.

4) Any validation studies, disparate impact studies, or other records documenting how the student predictive analytics services the district used during the 2022-23 academic year performed across different student groups (e.g. Black students vs. Hispanic students, male students vs. female students).

I ask that all fees be waived as I am a journalist and intend to use the requested records to publish articles in the public interest about the operations of a government agency. If you choose to impose fees, I ask that you provide an explanation of the fees, including the hourly wage of the lowest-paid employee capable of fulfilling the request.

If you choose to reject this request or redact portions of responsive documents, I ask that you cite the statutory exemptions and associated case law underlying your decision to withhold each portion from public review.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 3 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Todd Feathers

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/
Atlanta Public Schools has reviewed its files and has determined there are no responsive documents to your request. APS did not utilize any student predictive analysis during SY22-23.
If you have any questions, please submit them through the Open Records Center.
Sincerely,
Sandra Murray
Open Records
Open Records