Since 2015, SSA has been translating student activity on its platform into student service minutes to support our grant partners with their reporting, such as the GEAR UP Annual Performance Review.
Before the introduction of our Winbox Mobile app in the Fall of 2023, our system was significantly simpler. Most of the activity in our platform took place through safe SMS messaging that was routed through our platform. In those days, we counted 2 minutes for every message from a student and 1 minute for every message that an Agent sent back. Simple as that.
Service Minute Scale 1.0
Winbox Activity | Service Minutes | Service Category |
Messages from a Student | 2 | Mentoring |
Messages from the Agency | 1 | Mentoring |
Released in 2015
As our platform evolved and our mobile app was released, we realized that there were many services where students were investing time beyond simply sending Messages to one another; and this will only continue to be the case as we further integrate the staff of our grant and school partners into our platform and services.
Since the launch of our mobile app, many students were creating Plans, engaging in Discussions on those Plans, receiving and tracking Opportunities, and engaging in Sessions. We realize that it is important to enable our partners to receive credit for all of the support they helped finance, fund, or activate for the students they serve.
Our Service Minute Scale 2.0, released in theAugust 2024 - July 2025 school year, does exactly that. It broadens the scope of activities we report minutes and how much each activity counts.
Service Minute Scale 2.0
Winbox Activity | Service Minutes | Service Category |
Messages from a Student | 2 | Counseling/Advising |
Messages from the Agency | 1 | Counseling/Advising |
A Plan is Created | 5 | Counseling/Advising |
A Discussion is Created | 2 | Counseling/Advising |
A Reply to a Discussion | 2 | Counseling/Advising |
A Student Spark is Identified | 1 | Counseling/Advising |
A Spark, Opportunity, or Session is Connected to a Plan | 1 | Counseling/Advising |
An Opportunity is Suggested to a Student | 2 | Counseling/Advising |
A Suggested Opportunity is Accepted or Declined | 2 | Counseling/Advising |
An Opportunity is Pursued by a Student | 2 | Counseling/Advising |
An Update is made to an Opportunity | 2 | Counseling/Advising |
Academic, Career, or College Session | Actual Time | Determined by Session Topic |
Released for the 2024-2025 Academic School Year (August 1 2024 - July 31 2025)
We made this change to better align with and support our grant partners in demonstrating and reporting their inputs to student outcomes that they are helping produce. Our Service Minute Scale is sure to continue to expand and evolve further as time goes by, and we'll be sure to keep you all informed on future changes.
If you have any questions about how it works then send us a message. We are more than happy to answer any questions you might have!