News
Three Ways to Tell Your Student Enrollment Forecasts Are Accurate
Since it’s the new year we’ve got a pop quiz for you: what makes an accurate student enrollment forecast? Enrollment forecasts are a critical tool for all long-term planning efforts. They inform everything from staffing to school capacity planning in your school district. But how much do you really know about the quality of the…
Kent MartinMeet Alex Brasch, Senior Population Geographer/Data Analyst
Where are you from and where do you live now? I’m from the small town (population ~2,000) of Winneconne, Wisconsin. I moved to Portland in 2015. What do you do at FLO? Generally, I categorize my work as population geography—applied studies of population with an emphasis on spatial patterns of population characteristics. In other words,…
Grant Herbert, GISPMeet Kate Doiron, Senior GIS Analyst
Where are you from and where do you live now? I am from the small town of Gardiner, Maine, and after living in Massachusetts for a decade, I moved back to Maine to the small town of Rockland! Rockland is on the coast between Portland and Acadia and is the home of the Maine Lobster…
McKay LarrabeeMeet Kimi Shigetani, Chief Operating Officer
Where are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in Hawaii and then moved to Washington state. I now live in northern California outside of Sacramento. What do you do at FLO? I aim to help streamline our processes, operations, and systems. What’s rewarding about your job? Being able to see…
Tyler VickSince it’s the new year we’ve got a pop quiz for you: what makes an accurate student enrollment forecast? Enrollment forecasts are a critical tool for all long-term planning efforts. They inform everything from staffing to school...
Kent MartinWhere are you from and where do you live now? I’m from the small town (population ~2,000) of Winneconne, Wisconsin. I moved to Portland in 2015. What do you do at FLO? Generally, I categorize my work as population geography—applied...
Grant Herbert, GISPWhere are you from and where do you live now? I am from the small town of Gardiner, Maine, and after living in Massachusetts for a decade, I moved back to Maine to the small town of Rockland! Rockland is on the coast between Portland and...
McKay LarrabeeThe outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 disrupted in-person learning at school districts across the country, resulting in large enrollment losses for many districts in 2020–21. Some families moved, while others chose alternatives...
Benjamin MaloneyWhere are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in Hawaii and then moved to Washington state. I now live in northern California outside of Sacramento. What do you do at FLO? I aim to help streamline our processes, operations,...
Tyler VickIn honor of Pride Month, FLO is recognizing influential LGBTQ+ leaders in the sciences. Explore the biographies and resources we’ve gathered to learn more about the life and work of these four incredible people. This blog post was written...
Leora WernerFLO’s school district practice is getting a new infusion of demography expertise in July with the hiring of Charles Rynerson as a lead demographer. Charles comes to FLO after 16 years at the Portland State University Population Research...
Kent MartinThe ACLU of New Hampshire hired FLO to analyze redistricting maps proposed by the state legislature. The FLO team reviewed election returns to calculate the partisan leaning of each ward in the state and assess the overall leanings of proposed...
Tyler VickWhere are you from and where do you live now? I’m originally from the Boston area but now live in Tampa, Florida. I’ve moved around a bit and previously lived in Olympia, Washington, and St. Petersburg, Florida. What do you do at...
Tyler VickWe’ve seen even the most experienced school district leaders make a few missteps that can derail an attendance area boundary planning project. Working with school districts of all sizes across the country has taught us that if a few key...
Kent MartinWhere are you from and where do you live now? I was born and raised in Berkeley, California, but now live in scenic St. Johns, Portland, Oregon. It’s nice to be close to the water. What do you do at FLO? The quick answer is, I make maps!...
Jed RobertsWhere are you from and where do you live now? I am from Lakeland, Florida, and currently live in Gainesville, Florida. What do you do at FLO? I am a Project Planner. What’s rewarding about your job? I love serving leaders at the local...
Kent MartinA recurring theme in GIS is utilizing technology to prevent crucial data from being lost to time. Recording data, managing it, and exchanging it from hand to hand over time leads to vulnerabilities. Cemetery data is one such example. Imagine...
Gavin JaravataWhere are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in Selah, Washington, a small town just north of Yakima. I have lived all around the state. I finished my undergraduate work in Bellingham, started my education career in Vancouver, and...
Leora WernerLast week, the U.S. Census Bureau released a new blog post packed with information about what to expect when the much anticipated (and much delayed) 2020 Census data is released. Here are four key points from the post relevant to anyone...
Alex BraschFLO Analytics is proud to announce the promotion of Grant Herbert, GISP, to principal. For more than 16 years, Grant has provided GIS expertise to local and national (United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand) governments;...
Tyler VickSince 1985, Public Service Recognition Week has been observed during the first week of May. The week is dedicated to recognizing the people who serve our nation as federal, state, county, local, and tribal government employees. Our team has...
Leora WernerOn Friday, April 16, 2021, I had the opportunity to work as an administrative teammate. I was told to be on-site in our Portland office at 8:00 a.m., bring a mask, and remember social distancing requirements. I decided to get to the office a...
Steven P. TaylorIn 2019, FLO launched a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative. Three core values guide DEI at FLO: Everyone deserves a safe, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We can better serve the communities where we work by increasing...
Leora WernerWhen people think about redistricting, the first thing that comes to mind is usually congressional districts. However, many local government agencies are also required to reapportion their voting districts every ten years. Due to challenges...
Kimi ShigetaniThe statutory deadline for the delivery of apportionment data for the 2020 census has passed, and we’re still waiting to hear exactly when the Census Bureau will release the data. That means local public agencies are still in the dark about...
Leora WernerWhere are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in Aiea, Hawaii, which is about 20 minutes outside of Honolulu. I decided to trade my flip-flops for rain gear and move to the “mainland” to attend college at the University of...
Tyler VickThe full impact of COVID-19 on the U.S. is yet to be fully known, but we do know many communities have months of recovery ahead of them and will likely be operating on tighter budgets than ever before. Though city and county leaders in every...
Kate DoironWhere are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in a small unincorporated area called Silverdale in Washington State. I crossed the Puget Sound to go to college in Seattle and decided to stay after graduating. What do you do...
Ruth McColly, GISPStudent enrollment forecasts are critically important to all long-term planning efforts. They inform everything from staffing to school capacity planning. But how much do you really know about the forecasts you’re using? Here are the four...
Alex BraschThe COVID-19 pandemic has forced an unprecedented number of local government employees to work from home. While very little is known about when they will be able to return to a physical workplace on a consistent basis, one thing is certain:...
Grant Herbert, GISPWe must work to resist and reverse systemic racism in the communities where we live, work, and serve. We acknowledge that our society is built on systems and institutions that oppress Black people and Black communities. We have had the...
Tyler VickWith the opening of FLO’s new office in Denver, Colorado, local governments, utilities, school districts, businesses, and nonprofits of the Rocky Mountain Region now have greater access to the GIS and data analytics services that can help...
Leora WernerFLO’s newest senior GIS analyst, Kate Doiron, has joined our growing East Coast team. We welcomed Kate in March, just a couple weeks prior to when the first stay-at-home orders were announced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite beginning a...
Leora WernerStudent enrollment is the foundation of school planning, no matter a school district’s size. In this blog post, we draw back the curtain on our enrollment forecasting process, so you can learn what enrollment forecasting is and why...
Tyler VickIn May of 2020, the National League of Cities asked their state league affiliates to support the Cities Are Essential advocacy campaign by calling for direct federal aid for all local governments. As Connecticut is one of the country’s most...
Leora WernerA GIS needs assessment is a tool that any city or town can use to take stock of how GIS and data are currently being utilized, and to put some thought into how they would like to better utilize them in the future—to improve operations,...
Grant Herbert, GISPAt the end of February, we announced the launch of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities GIS Consortium, a program that brings increased access to affordable GIS services for municipalities in Connecticut. Little did we know that less...
Kate DoironWhere are you from and where do you live now? Originally, I’m from Louisiana, but I’ve lived in enough cities that I feel I can certifiably say that I’m from nowhere and/or everywhere. I’ve spent just enough time in northern...
McKay LarrabeeFLO and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities created a web-mapping application to help Connecticut municipalities identify where in their communities the COVID-19 outbreak might present the greatest public health challenge. Explore...
Kate DoironAs the number of COVID-19 cases grows in our communities, we want to take a moment to reach out to our clients and friends and let you know how we’re working to be good neighbors and part of the solution to this outbreak, while continuing to...
Tyler VickWhere are you from and where do you live now? I spent my formative years on the western shores of Michigan’s lower peninsula. I made the move to Oregon for graduate school (go Beavers!) and have been in Portland ever since. What do you...
Leora WernerWe are excited to announce the launch of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities GIS Consortium! This new program will bring increased access to affordable GIS services for municipalities in Connecticut. CCM created the GIS Consortium out...
Grant Herbert, GISPWhere are you from and where do you live now? I was born and raised in Dunwoody, Georgia, and have lived in Portland, Oregon, since 2001. What do you do at FLO? I am a senior GIS analyst in the local government/utilities sector....
Grant Herbert, GISPEnrollment projections are the building blocks of effective school district planning. Only with detailed and accurate projections are districts able to site schools in the best possible location, future-proof school attendance area boundaries,...
Tyler VickWhere are you from and where do you live now? I am from Michigan (huge metropolis of Dimondale) by way of North Carolina (Asheville and Chapel Hill). I currently live in southeast Portland and love it! What do you do at FLO? I serve...
Leora WernerGet to know the six new professionals who have joined the FLO team! Are you interested in working with us? For current job openings, please visit our online application...
Leora WernerWith the opening of FLO’s new office near Boston, Massachusetts, East Coast local governments, utilities, school districts, businesses, and nonprofits seeking bold and innovative solutions that will improve their communities now have greater...
Tyler VickThe Association of Washington Cities (AWC) GIS Consortium continues to gain members from all corners of Washington State, representing the diverse GIS and data needs of Washington communities large and small. Read on to learn about how FLO,...
Ruth McColly, GISPI've got some important questions for you: Do you rely on employees with the most experience and expertise to provide context for projects and historical knowledge about key assets? Are these employees your go-to resource for records and...
Grant Herbert, GISPWhere are you from and where do you live now? I was born and raised in the Tri-Cities (Richland, Washington). I had a few stints in New York and Texas in my younger years and traveled around and worked on the West Coast after graduate...
Grant Herbert, GISPWhere are you from and where do you live now? I grew up in Iowa along the Mississippi River. I remember that there were a lot of cornfields, but I don’t like corn! So perhaps that wasn’t the ideal setting for me. My family moved to the...
Tyler VickJoin us for a presentation on the fundamentals of successful school district planning activities, focusing on enrollment forecasting, school siting, and boundary reviews. We will cover how to plan for these activities, how to do them, and why...
Leora WernerGet to know the newest members of the FLO team! Alison Guse, GIS technician, has a diverse background in GIS, environmental science, and environmental engineering. She has served as project manager for several air- and water-related...
Leora WernerAfter working with land trusts across the Northwest and with nonprofit land trust advocates Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts and Land Trust Alliance, senior GIS analyst Jenny Axelrod has some thoughts on how conservation organizations can use...
Leora Werner