Power Center Academy Uses Student Data to Improve Attendance and Engagement

At Power Center Academy, part of the Gestalt Community Schools network, data used to live in scattered spreadsheets and disconnected systems. For Tiffany Compton, an AP Calculus teacher and the Instructional Technology Manager, that chaos stood in the way of student success. 

Says Compton, “Before Student Analytics, it was just a bunch of spreadsheets everywhere… sometimes it wasn’t even spreadsheets—it was Word documents with names and boxes you had to fill in manually.”

Power Center Academy serves 2,500 students—100% of whom are Black or Brown—across five Memphis campuses. As enrollment grows, so does the need for accessible, real-time data. That’s where PowerSchool Student Analytics comes in. 

Today, everyone from teachers to counselors uses Student Analytics daily. Instead of waiting on data, staff access dashboards instantly to identify trends, risks, and next steps. 

Transforming attendance tracking and student engagement  

Chronic absenteeism was a key concern. A new Attendance Committee comprising school and district leaders used to rely on complex spreadsheets and manual processes. Now, real-time dashboards do the heavy lifting. 

Family Engagement Liaisons (FELs) lead daily huddles to flag students and launch tailored outreach. They even run “Saturday University,” where parents meet one-on-one with staff to see how absences impact academics—guided by PowerSchool data. 

A platform for long-term success 

Staff use analytics to track i-Ready scores, monitor progress, and prep for TNReady testing. Early alerts help teachers respond before students fall behind. Says Compton, “Automating i-Ready is a game changer. The day after scores load, we already know who’s on track.” 

Looking ahead, Compton plans to digitize BIPs and RTI plans in PowerSchool—ensuring that every student’s support plan travels with them year over year. 

By making data accessible and actionable, Power Center Academy is empowering educators and families alike to support every learner—faster, smarter, and more equitably. 

Concludes Compton, “We can see who needs help—and do something about it.”