NYC Department
of Education
Public Schools System Redesign
The NYC Department of Education serves over 1.1 million students across thousands of schools, relying on critical dashboard systems to support educators and administrators. This project involved modernizing and unifying their legacy systems through a comprehensive cross-platform redesign.
Type
School System
Dashboard Design
Role
UX Designer
Tools
Figma
Date
February to
March 2023
Research Discovery Insights
With 30+ stakeholder interviews conducted, and 200+ users surveyed during research to identify pain points of the current school system…
Problem Statement
Design Goals
Outdated School System
The NYC DOE initially relied on Skedula/PupilPath for their administrative needs, but a major security breach forced them to discontinue its use entirely. This led to the development of their own internal tool.
While this provided immediate functionality, the outdated infrastructure became increasingly unsustainable, requiring extensive maintenance costs and limiting the system's ability to meet modern educational demands.
Initial Proof of Concept Designs
We began the design phase by developing a focused proof of concept targeting attendance-taking, one of the highest-friction daily tasks for teachers. This mobile solution demonstrated immediate tangible benefits, allowing educators to quickly see how modern design could transform their daily workflows and build confidence in the broader system redesign.
Rosters & Attendance
This refined attendance interface focused on updating student status and managing roster submissions:
Enhanced left panel - Added submission status and teacher information for better context
Improved hierarchy - Intentional structure on the right side with clear breadcrumbs and seating chart links
Streamlined experience - Class rosters with student photos and simple marking options for efficient attendance tracking
High Contrast Feature
The attendance screens provided an opportunity to demonstrate accessibility improvements through high-contrast mode. While NYC DOE's brand colors weren't ADA compliant, we created a compromise solution with a toggle switch in the main header. The high-contrast version features darker colors that create better contrast between light and dark elements, making the interface more accessible while maintaining the overall design integrity.
Gradebook
Bulk Editing Capabilities - Teachers can update multiple grades simultaneously instead of entering them one-by-one
Streamlined Class View - Sort through all assignments and input grades from a single interface
Familiar Spreadsheet Layout - Student list with scrolling assignments mirrors traditional gradebooks, allowing teachers to apply familiar tactics in the digital environment
Assignment Tracking
Visual performance trackers help teachers monitor student progress on assignments, enabling quick identification of students who need additional support.
Grade Snapshots
Grade summaries appear directly on course pages with average class grades and "View Gradebook" links for instant detailed access.
Manage My School
This centralized dashboard enables admins to efficiently manage staff, generate reports, and handle administrative tasks.
Role-based access controls ensure data security and privacy by restricting information based on user permissions.
Set User Permissions
System admins can configure permissions for individual users, controlling access to features like attendance and grades. They can also assign specific roles such as primary teacher, substitute, or co-teacher for each roster.
Create Custom Rosters
Administrators can create new rosters at the start of each school year for classes, clubs, sports teams, and other student groupings by inputting the necessary data.
Results from the Modernized School System
Before & After Designs
Takeaways
Stakeholder Involvement
Engaging teachers and admins early revealed critical workflow dependencies that weren't documented anywhere. Targeting specific day-to-day tasks like attendance first, we created a defined starting point that users could immediately connect with. This approach built trust and momentum, making it much easier to expand into more complex features because we had already proven value in their daily routines.
Platform Consistency
Creating consistency across platforms isn't about making everything look identical. It's about building designs that transfer seamlessly—so when a teacher switches from their phone to their laptop, they don't have to relearn how to navigate the system.
Complex Systems
Working with interconnected workflows full of sensitive data taught me that simplicity doesn't mean fewer features. Instead, I focused on creating clear information hierarchies and predictable interaction patterns. This approach made complex administrative tasks feel intuitive while preserving all the functionality educators and admins actually need.