Wayne County Schools in southeast Georgia has taken a fresh look at the way it approaches common assessments and data management. Leading the charge are Erin Franks, K-5 Instructional Technology Specialist, and LaRae Thornton, Instructional Technology Specialist for grades 6–12. Together, they’ve helped the district move from a frustrating, piecemeal process to a comprehensive, time-saving solution.
During our recent Otus Regional Workshop in Bulloch County, Georgia, we sat down with Erin and LaRae to hear more about their journey to consolidating common assessments, streamlining data for PLCs, and setting the stage for next-level planning and student support.
As an Instructional Technology Specialist, Erin Franks is dedicated to putting teachers' needs first, helping them save time and work more efficiently.
When a larger company acquired Wayne County’s longtime assessment program, the district encountered a spike in service issues and a decline in customer support. In searching for alternatives, Erin and LaRae discovered that Otus not only offered a robust item bank and partial-credit scoring, but also included a number of time-saving features.
At the high school level, teachers also appreciate having a built-in Desmos calculator and a lockdown browser—resources that meet key needs across multiple grade levels and encourage district-wide adoption
Through her work with educators and students, LaRae quickly recognized the value of a single, consolidated tool for assessment and instruction.
With Otus in place, teachers across grade levels have quickly seen how unified data simplifies Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings. Instead of juggling multiple systems, they can now find everything in one place—speeding up the process of identifying trends and discussing next steps.
This unified approach has also made it simpler for the district’s administrative teams to run reports and compare different data sets, further reducing the need to hop between platforms.
Wayne County’s implementation strategy involves a deliberate, phased approach—starting with common assessments and gradually expanding to other features. As teachers grow more comfortable, Erin and LaRae are excited to see them adopt the Otus lesson planning tools, as well as student profiles for individual learners.
Down the road, Erin and LaRae also envision expanding upon their Otus integration with Infinite Campus to automate grade syncs, as well as creating plans for special populations (e.g., ESOL, MTSS) directly inside Otus, providing a comprehensive view of each student’s journey.
From day one, Wayne County’s main priority has been to save teachers time and enhance collaboration. Otus’ strong customer support played a big role in their decision, giving them the confidence that future expansions—like linking to their SIS or adopting progress monitoring plans—will be backed by a responsive team.
Erin and LaRae’s advice for other technology coaches? Involve all stakeholders early, identify features your teachers truly need, and show how Otus can bring everything together.