Disconnected System Hindered a Vital Community Mission
Dallas Afterschool works to level the playing field for children of all races and economic backgrounds by informing community stakeholders, supporting afterschool and summer programs and their staff members, and coordinating community resources. They envision a community with the resources and the will to provide impactful learning beyond the school day for all children.
However, Dallas Afterschool’s ability to connect with the community was being held back by technology. A fragmented and inaccessible program landscape made it difficult for parents to find the right opportunities for their children. Internally, the organization struggled with inefficient, manual processes for tracking student attendance, which hindered accountability and made it nearly impossible to measure program effectiveness.
Without a way to effectively utilize data, Dallas Afterschool was unable to demonstrate program value to stakeholders, identify gaps in service, or make data-driven decisions to improve outcomes. This lack of insight put funding and community trust at risk.
To overcome these obstacles and amplify its mission, Dallas Afterschool needed a strategic technology partner to build a unified digital ecosystem that would empower both parents and program staff.
Building A Suite of Custom Tools to Empower Parents and Staff
Dallas Afterschool needed a technology partner to build a cohesive digital ecosystem that could bridge the information gap for parents and provide robust data management tools for staff. KMS Technology was chosen to architect and develop a multi-part solution leveraging the power of Salesforce and Heroku to create a seamless, data-driven experience.
1. Building a Mobile-Friendly Program Locator
KMS team kicked off development by working closely with Dallas Afterschool’s stakeholders to map user journeys, identify key search criteria, and design an intuitive interface for families. We then developed a dynamic web application built on the Salesforce platform to serve as a central hub for parents.
The powerful tool pulls real-time data, allowing families to easily search for programs by type, location, grade level, and time. Real-time integration with Dallas Afterschool’s Salesforce instance means program offerings are always up to date.
To make the search even more intuitive, we have integrated Google Maps, enabling parents to explore offerings by zip code or simply click around a map to discover local programs. This significantly increased engagement and bridged information gaps for parents who may be new to the afterschool ecosystem.
2. Developing a Streamlined Mobile Attendance App
To eliminate inefficient and error-prone manual tracking, we created a custom mobile attendance app using the Heroku platform. This tool empowers teachers and program staff to monitor and record student participation accurately and in real-time, directly from their mobile devices.
The need for accurate, real-time attendance tracking was critical. Manual logging led to lost data and placed an extra burden on frontline staff who needed swift, reliable solutions.
KMS designed and built a custom mobile application on the Heroku platform tailored to the workflows of teachers and program administrators. The app enables participation to be recorded at the point of service, reducing errors and instantly syncing with Dallas Afterschool’s back-end systems.
Features like batch check-in/check-out, secure teacher/admin logins, offline functionality, and multilingual support ensured inclusivity and reliability for diverse teams across locations.
3. Unlocking Data-Driven Insights
To turn data into a strategic asset, we deployed custom Salesforce reports and integrated Google Analytics, providing real-time dashboards and tailored analytics for program leaders and stakeholders.
The solution tracks critical measures such as attendance rates, program popularity, demographic reach, and impact over time. Leadership now has the ability to make informed, data-backed decisions, quickly adapt to shifting needs, and effectively demonstrate results to funders and the community.
Empowering Education with The Right Technology
The partnership with KMS transformed Dallas Afterschool’s operational capabilities and amplified its community impact. The new digital tools have empowered the organization to better serve its community, streamline its operations, and use data as a strategic asset for growth and funding.
The new program locator drove a 40% increase in website traffic and contributed to a 15% increase in registered programs. The mobile attendance app was a key factor in boosting student attendance by 20% and increasing overall operational efficiency by 25%.
“The locator tool has allowed us to identify gaps in childcare resources in our community quickly and effectively. Armed with this information, we are equipped to increase quality after-school seats in areas where families and children need them the most.”
Armed with powerful data, Dallas Afterschool can now clearly demonstrate its value, identify service gaps, and continue its vital work of providing impactful learning opportunities for all children.