The Metrics Project builds capacity for the participants in The School Zone through the development of metrics for each organization and for The West Dallas Community Collaborative. While the immediate outcome and focus of this request is establishing and using metrics (Phase One and Two), having and using metrics over the next five years (Phase Three) will enable measurement of and increases in the effectiveness of the West Dallas social sector as it works together to alleviate three critical causes of poverty:

• lack of decent affordable housing,
• lack of quality educational opportunities and
• absence of living wage jobs.

Initial goal setting and outcomes to be delivered by the group will be led by the UTD Institute of Public Affairs. Metrics will be developed and measurement will be completed by the UT Dallas Institute of Urban Policy Studies.  DFCC is in conversation with the SMU Simmons School of Education and Human Development to measure outcomes of the collaborative work on improving student performance, in particular, the increases in their scores on state standardized tests.

Read more about the Metrics Project here.