RFI_Assessment_Management_Systems.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

RFI ID: BPS-AMS-2026-01

ISSUE DATE: 10/23/23

TITLE: Curriculum and Assessment Management Systems Event id # EV00018122

1. Introduction & Purpose Boston Public Schools (BPS) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to identify potential partners and platforms capable of providing a comprehensive Assessment Management System. The District seeks to understand vendor offerings and how these platforms support district expectations for curriculum-embedded assessments, align to our technology standards, and integrate seamlessly with our existing data and assessment ecosystem.

BPS serves approximately 44,000 students in 105 schools, with 24% students with disabilities and 34% multilingual learners.

Note: This is an RFI only. It is not a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a commitment to contract. Responses will assist BPS in budget planning and potentially drafting a future competitive solicitation.

2. Scope of Needs BPS is seeking information regarding vendors' Curriculum and Assessment Management System offerings. Vendors should structure their response to address how their platform fulfills the following requirements:

A. Support for Curriculum-Embedded Assessments The platform must support district expectations for curriculum-embedded assessments, which are a key part of our strategy to implement High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) and provide equitable access to grade-level learning. Platforms must complement a balanced assessment system that uses data to drive instruction.

Vendors must detail their platform's ability to administer and/or allow for data entry, as well as analyze both summative assessments (evaluating learning at the end of a unit) and formative assessments (low-stakes opportunities like exit tickets and on-demand tasks). Data from these assessments must be easily accessed and analyzed by educators to make data-driven decisions at the classroom, grade, school, student group (students with disabilities, multilingual learners, etc) and district level.

Specifically, vendors should outline how their system supports the assessment cadences and formats of the following BPS-approved HQIM:

· Math: Illustrative Math (IM), Desmos/Amplify, and Open Up. The system should accommodate end-of-unit assessments, cool downs, exit tickets, checkpoints, and pre-unit diagnostics.

· Science: FOSS (preK-2) and OpenSciEd (Grades 3-11). The system should be able to capture summatives like iChecks, and formatives like science notebooks and progress trackers.

· ELA: Focus (a BPS-developed curriculum), Fundations, Expeditionary Learning (EL), StudySync, and Fishtank. Assessment support must include writing assessments, fluency checks, end-of-unit assessments, and performance tasks.

· History/Social Science: Children Discovering Justice, Investigating History, Democratic Knowledge Project, and SAVVAS (including DBQs and Topic Exams).

· ESL: OMME ESL Curriculum (Grades 3-12), including standards-based assessments and performance tasks that measure listening, speaking, reading, and writing domains.

· Note: this is a BPS created curriculum.

B. Access to Curricular Materials BPS aims to minimize the number of disparate platforms educators must navigate daily. Please describe your system's capability to host, link to, or directly integrate with the district-approved High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) outlined in Section A.

· Does your platform allow educators to access lesson plans, pacing guides, and student-facing materials alongside the embedded assessments?

· Please detail any native integrations or partnerships you have with the curriculum publishers listed above.

C. Integration with Existing Data & Assessment Platforms/Systems To provide a holistic view of student progress and minimize administrative overhead, the Assessment Management System must easily integrate with BPS's current assessment products. Vendors must explicitly describe their platform's capability to integrate with and/or ingest data from the following tools:

· Assessment tools

· MCAS

· ACCESS for ELLs

· LAS Links

· NWEA MAP Growth

· NWEA MAP Fluency

· Data platforms

· Panorama Student Success

· Ellevation

· Snowflake

· EdPlan

D. Technology & Application Standards BPS pledges to use interoperable standards designed for safety and security. Vendors must thoroughly explain how their platform aligns with the following district technical expectations:

· User Account Provisioning: Systems must automatically create and disable user accounts. Preferred methods include Google Account Provisioning and Clever Rostering; accepted methods include OneRoster CSV/API and EdFi CSV/API. Custom ETL or manual provisioning is prohibited.

· Authentication: The system must enforce authentication using Google, Clever, SAML, or Active Directory. Standalone accounts that require manual password resets are prohibited.

· Data Interoperability: Use of interoperability standards is strictly enforced. Preferred methods are Clever Rostering, EdFi 5.2.0 (API version 7.3), and OneRoster API.

· Data Security & Privacy: Vendors must sign the Massachusetts Student Data Privacy Agreement. Requiring users to individually agree to a vendor's terms of service is prohibited.

· Hardware and Network: The application must be accessible on a web browser and fully compatible with ChromeOS (Chromebooks).

· User Roles: The software must support varied roles, at a minimum including Super Administrator, District Administrator, School Administrator, School Staff, and Student.

· Accessibility: Tools must support Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles. This includes support for vision (screenreaders, enlarged text), hearing (captions), mobility (keyboard navigation), literacy (TTS, language options), and cognitive needs.

· Training & Support: Vendors must provide online training (webinars, self-paced learning) and may also offer email, phone, or on-site support.

E. Pricing Structure & Estimated Costs While this RFI is for information-gathering and budgetary planning purposes only, understanding your financial model is critical for our review. Please provide an overview of your pricing structure, including estimates or tiered models where applicable. Address the following components:

· Licensing Model: Provide details on how the product is licensed (e.g., per student, per site, district-wide enterprise model).

· Implementation & Setup: Outline any one-time fees associated with initial deployment, rostering setup, and system configuration.

· Integration Fees: Detail any costs associated with connecting to our existing systems (e.g., SIS, data warehouses, Clever/EdFi) and third-party assessment tools.

· Professional Development & Training: Provide estimated costs for initial training, ongoing professional development, and technical support packages.

· Ongoing Maintenance: Outline any recurring costs for hosting, system updates, and dedicated account management.

F. References To allow BPS to understand the dynamic use of products in real-world contexts, please include several references from large peer urban school districts. These could be written statements or contact information for administrators who would be willing to participate in an informational interview.

3. Submission Instructions

· RFI Response Due Date: November 4, 2026 at 5:00 pm

· Submission Format: Google Form

· Contact: Sarah Jay, sjay@bostonpublicschools.org; Ileana Gruia, igruia@bostonpublicschools.org

4. Disclaimer This RFI is for information-gathering purposes only. BPS will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All responses will become the property of Boston Public Schools and are subject to public records laws.