The annual conference in SAS Francisco is now a pleasant memory. And what a pleasant one it was! I saw so many of my user friends and met some new ones too. When I attend this conference I wear at least two hats. The first is that of a SAS
"Why Should I Trust Your Forecasts?" now available on-demand The SAS / Foresight webinar series had a rousing kickoff on April 24, with Paul Goodwin asking (and answering) the question, "Why Should I Trust Your Forecasts?" The webinar is now available for free on-demand review . Be sure to stick
These activities may have been announced at SAS Global Forum, but they apply to a much broader audience! And you can take advantage of them today. New Program: Publications is pleased to announce that you can now use Training Points to buy books. Training Points (previously known as EPTO's) is
When you work at headquarters of the leader in advanced analytics software, you never know who you'll encounter in the lobby. It might be celebrity statistician (and New York Times FiveThirtyEight blogger) Nate Silver, of The Signal and the Noise and election forecasting fame. It might be Donald Wheeler, giant
In my last blog, I discussed the growing commitment among governors to infrastructure investment, and to coming up with innovative ways to find dollars to fund the needed improvements to the transportation network. I heard it over and over again during the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in January
Sometimes, it is good to start with a confession. I filed my taxes at the last minute. It was past time to get some money back from the IRS before they could waste $60,000 on another Star Trek spoof video. Normally I'm one of those people that files in February,
It’s that time of year again, where I make my plans to head to SAS Global Forum. This year, the meeting is in San Francisco and, since I love this city, it makes me more excited than ever to meet with SAS friends. This user conference is planned and organized
Welcome to Part 3 of the value-added Myth Busters blog series. I have heard a variation of this many times. “Why shouldn’t educators just use a simple gains approach or a pre- and post-test? They can trust simpler methodologies because they can replicate and understand them more easily.” Simple growth measures
This week Nate Silver, renowned election forecaster (fivethirtyeight blog) and top selling author (of the excellent The Signal and the Noise), spoke at an event here in my building on the SAS campus. Unfortunately, I wasn't considered a B enough of a FD to land an invite to Nate's presentation. However,
A few weeks ago I found myself in a room full of fellow transportation geeks (a term I use with great respect) at the annual American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Washington Briefing. One panel in particular really got the room buzzing with talk about the transportation
Welcome to Part 2 of the value-added Myth Busters blog series…have you heard this one before? Educators serving high-achieving students are often concerned that their students’ entering achievement level makes it more difficult for them to show growth. “How can my students show growth if they are already earning high
Personally, I love studies. They help put things into context, and when done well, provide an independent and hopefully unbiased view of the forces that shape our lives. They are also a great way to see government funds used in strange ways. For example, the new NIOSH (National Institute for
In the past five years, value-added models have been increasingly adopted by states to support various teaching effectiveness policies. As educators make the paradigm shift from looking at only achievement data to incorporating growth data, many misconceptions have developed. Compounding this issue is the fact that not all value-added and
This is the third in our three part series about the National Online Teacher of the Year Award finalists. Click here for Parts One and Two. For the fourth year, SAS is a sponsor of the award, which recognizes an outstanding online teacher for exceptional quality in online K-12 education.
This is the second of three interviews with the National Online Teacher of the Year Award finalists. First up was Renee Citlau. For the fourth year, SAS is a sponsor of the award, which recognizes an outstanding online teacher for exceptional quality in online K-12 education. Through education initiatives and innovative resources
For the fourth year, SAS is a sponsor of the National Online Teacher of the Year Award (NOTY), which recognizes an outstanding online teacher for exceptional quality in online K-12 education. Through education initiatives and innovative resources such as SAS Curriculum Pathways and SAS Mobile Education apps, SAS is a strong
I’m a huge movie buff. I love all kinds of movies but sports films are at the top of my list. Field of Dreams is one of my favorites not only because it’s a great story but also because, in my opinion, it has one of the best movie lines.
Recently, I was having lunch with a city council member who shared a litany of comments about the outstanding job the city and its staff does in all areas of city operations. She remarked on how little the public understands about all the city does and how efficiently it’s done.
With all due respect to Microsoft, I am not talking about that type of ppt, but instead I am referring to people, process, and technology (PPT). SAS helps to solve all types of problems because we bring more to the table than technology; we help our customers get answers to
Analytics is a key piece in nearly all 31 recommendations outlined in The Innovative DOT: A Handbook of Policy and Practice. Crafted by the State Smart Transportation Initiative, in partnership with Smart Growth America, the handbook provides 31 recommendations for state transportation officials looking for ways to increase efficiencies and
It was a moonless night in April 1912 when the pinnacle of ocean travel technology and luxury, the RMS Titanic, collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,500 passengers and crew. A primary cause of the tragedy was that the captain and
Popularized rankings of "best places to work" (such as in 2012, SAS ranked #1 in the world in Great Places to Work®'s list of Multinational Workplaces) tend to focus on why it is so great to be an employee. As a potential customer of one of these best places to work, why
The creation of Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) took off in 2009 with the establishment of the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program (SHIECAP). Recently, it seems like HIEs have been somewhat of the middle-child, garnering less attention between the health insurance exchanges and Medicaid expansion. But let’s take a
With their mass SAS appeal, these twelve books packed a powerful punch in 2012. From SAS and JMP basics to more advanced applications, to SAS certification, to business intelligence - these titles cover a range of users' interests. Did you use any of these titles this year? Do you have any predictions for popular book topics
Unlike a certain man in a red suit who, single-handedly, delivers presents around the world, SAS Publications relies on a network of people and partnerships to bring you the information you need; wherever you live! Whether you’re in Bangkok, Brussels, or Boston, access to the product documentation is easily accessible
Police Departments across the country are under constant scrutiny by elected officials, the media and the public to reduce crime, control costs, engage the public, always be accessible and, most important, always be courteous and professional. Police departments that demonstrate excellence in these areas can achieve accreditation by The Commission
Several years ago my mom, bless her heart, bought a cell phone. Now, my mom is not what one would call “tech-savvy”. She has had the same car forever, same furniture for 25 years (well, she did get it reupholstered), even the same pots and pans that came as wedding
I live in the South, but was raised by Midwestern Catholics from rural Minnesota. Think Jeff Foxworthy meets Fargo. A few of the great things that I have learned about folks in the South is their incredible politeness even when they are really saying, "Wow, what in the world are
Independent contractor. Two very simple words that have a dramatic impact on businesses, workers, and government programs. While most people have a basic understanding of the term, they often have very little understanding of the laws governing it, which vary significantly program by program and state by state. This has
We've been busy this year producing books for SAS users. Take a look at our Upcoming Titles list. These are just a few of the titles we have going right now. You've seen me promote specific topics throughout the year. Now is your chance to tell me where your experience
