Newly Unveiled Web Site Provides Easy Access to Information on Schools, Programs and Services for Parents, Students and Teachers

In contact information, phone number for Gail Scibelli should read 1-305-581-0095 (sted 1-617-452-1911).

The corrected release reads:

CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ NEW WEB SITE MAKES IT EASIER FOR PARENTS TO GET INVOLVED, FIND INFORMATION

Newly Unveiled Web Site Provides Easy Access to Information on Schools, Programs and Services for Parents, Students and Teachers

Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the third-largest public school system in the U.S., announced today that it partnered with Sapient (NASDAQ: SAPE) to launch a newly redesigned online presence at http://www.cps.edu. The new site, which went live today, provides the latest information on all scholastic services and programs to parents, students and staff. In addition, a new feature gives parents the opportunity to compare schools based on a number of statistics, helping them to better evaluate each institution.

“The new CPS website presents district information in a clear format that’s intuitive and easy to use,” said Chicago Board of Education President Rufus Williams. “It puts all of the important resources in one place, so that parents have what they need to make decisions that impact their children’s education and future. We thank Sapient for helping us reach this goal. We are very proud of the results.”

After survey results showed that most CPS online users found the district’s web site difficult to use and frustrating, the district partnered with Sapient Interactive to revitalize its online brand and dramatically improve the perception and functionality of its web site.

CPS and Sapient created a “hypothetical parent” model based on feedback from interviews with parents and teachers to help the partners develop a common, identifiable “voice” to engage potential volunteers, while gaining valuable insights into how CPS users interacted with the web site. The premise of the composite model was to increase parent participation through the development of clear, consistent messaging throughout the CPS online experience. The new site allows parents, students and staff to find information on the district’s programs and services quickly and easily.

“As with any of our customers, CPS had to understand how web site users interact with the online channel and then create a memorable experience for them to achieve its goals for the project.