KIPP, a nationally recognized network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools, faced challenges in managing its complex and fragmented data stack. As the sole data engineer for KIPP's Newark, Camden, and Miami regions, Charlie Bini sought to find a solution that could support growth, streamline data operations, and provide visibility into the data stack. He experimented with various tools before adopting Dagster, an emerging orchestrator that promised more visibility and control over data pipelines. With Dagster, KIPP centralized its data processes, bringing together data extraction, transformation, and orchestration into a unified platform. The new data stack empowered the team to work more efficiently, reduced data quality issues, and provided real-time alerts and lineage tracking, making it easier to respond to issues immediately. By adopting Dagster, KIPP transformed its data platform from a fragmented set of ad-hoc tools into a unified, resilient, and scalable solution that resonated with everyone.