Students coded an IT dashboard used by Jacksonville, Florida city government
City officials in Jacksonville, Florida, on Monday shared details about a new coding program called “Jax Code 4 Change,” as well as a new IT dashboard for city staff use built by students in the program.
The coding program, according to the city’s website, provides students with real-world business opportunities to develop technologies that enhance the city’s transparency, efficiency and equity. It aims to making training in software development, data analytics and AI available to those from underrepresented communities. During a news conference Monday, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan thanked Microsoft for providing the training materials used in the program.
“Jax Code 4 Change” was developed as part of Deegan’s transparency initiative, an effort to bring transparency to how resources are being used in the city by making data accessible through dashboards. The program’s first cohort features 22 graduates, Deegan said during a press conference on Monday, and under the guidance of Jacksonville’s Technology Solutions department and Scratchwerk Tech — a Jacksonville tech research company — the group built an internal dashboard for the city’s IT staff to use called the Service Desk Dashboard.
The dashboard displays a real-time view of city issues with information about open and closed IT service tickets, as well as data from the last four years. It also features detailed information panels about individual service request types, and key performance indicators for a high-level overview of ticket categories.
Deegan called the program “a gateway to possibilities” for kids interested in coding.
“In fact, this isn’t just a program. It’s a beacon of hope. It’s a catalyst for change and a testament to the power of opportunity,” Deegan said Monday. “It’s not merely about teaching kids how to code, it’s about fostering resilience, sparking curiosity and building confidence. It’s about showing them that their potential is limitless and their voices and ideas matter in the ever-evolving digital landscape.”
