Education Grant WinnerKaren James

At Kay Franklin Elementary in Northside ISD, Karen James supports students with some of the most complex learning and behavioral needs on campus. As a special education teacher, her days are filled with high-stakes decisions that rely on clear, accurate data—tracking behaviors, monitoring academic progress, and ensuring students receive the individualized support outlined in their IEPs. For Karen, the heart of her work is simple but powerful: keeping students safe, supported, and moving forward, even when challenges arise quickly and unpredictably.

Her Firstmark Foundation-funded project, Enhancing Student Progress Monitoring with TallyFlex, grew out of a real need to replace time-consuming paper tracking with something more responsive. With grant support, Karen implemented TallyFlex, a digital data collection tool that allows her and her colleagues to record behavior and academic data in real time. Instead of trying to reconstruct events after the fact, staff can quickly document what happens, share access with teammates, and generate clear reports that reveal patterns and trends. This shift has saved hours of paperwork and made it easier to adjust interventions in the moment—when they matter most.

The impact reaches far beyond efficiency. With clearer data, Karen and her team are better equipped to advocate for students, communicate transparently with families, and ensure children are placed in the settings that best meet their needs. Ultimately, the tool strengthens collaboration, protects instructional time, and helps students with learning differences receive timely, data-driven support—creating a calmer, safer environment where meaningful progress can happen.