A Guide To Student Management Systems & Choosing A SIS For Your School

A Student Management System is also known as a Student Information System (SIS). These systems work to coordinate scheduling and communications between faculty regarding students. This system exists to simplify information tracking for both parents and administrative staff.  

So, what is a student information system? In essence, this software should contain all the resources and tools necessary for administrators to maintain a database of information about the student body.

Below, we will go into some details on what these systems provide.

What Does a Student Management System Do?

Student-centric management systems work to make the management of information more accessible. Having a student database management platform in place means your school can enjoy a wide range of benefits that can lead to better outcomes for students and their families. For instance, they can improve the efficiency of your offices, streamlining the processes of tracking each student’s needs and performance. It also enables better communication between administrators, teachers, and the entire school community. Being able to share concrete data with families and keeping them in the loop helps boost their engagement in their children’s education.

Perhaps most important, using a strong student data management system can have a highly positive effect on student performance. Being able to pinpoint areas where students need more support gives teachers a head start on tailoring their lessons. Other data can provide valuable context into a student’s situation that may help educators understand their needs and challenges.

Below is a list of tracking pieces you might have on your information management system:

• Health information — Students who suffer from physical and/or mental health concerns often have difficulty focusing on their schoolwork. Having a repository of information about their health and well-being can help educators offer the support they need.
• Schedules — Tracking students’ schedules can be challenging for teachers and parents, especially as they enter middle and high school. Student management software can provide everyone with an easy-to-read breakdown of a student’s day to help them stay organized.
• Grade book information — If a student struggles in one subject but excels at all others, it may be difficult for teachers and family members to recognize the issue until the report card arrives. Sharing grade information means teachers can be fully updated on each student’s total progress so they can collaborate on providing support.
• Behavior data — Students with behavioral issues need extra attention and support, but it can be challenging to get all faculty on the same page. A comprehensive listing of behavior data gives everyone the insights they need to adjust.
• Age
• Transcript information — Gain a complete look into a student’s full history even from previous schools. This ensures there can be no oversights in providing the support a student needs.
• Grade level
• Attendance tracking — Administrators can use SMS software to track trends related to student attendance.
• Student and parent portals — Keeping students and parents up to date with everything going on is crucial. SMS platforms give them the tools to access information whenever they need it.
• Transcript management — These platforms make it possible to prepare students’ transcripts so they will be ready to move on to another school.

The focus of this sort of management system is that it is student-centric. This school administration software differs from your other type of management system: school management systems.

School Management vs. Student Management – What’s the Difference?

A school management system sounds like it is interchangeable with student management, but the difference comes from what information you manage:

• School management systems include information related to the staff. 
• Student management software is information limited to students.

For example, you shouldn’t find grade book information in your school management software. Instead, you might discover payroll information, billing data, and staff reviews. 

What Should a Student Management System Include?

It’s important to note that school management can include student management information. However, student management does not have all aspects of school management. Your student management information systems can consist of the following services:

Student Schedule Management 

Faculty members and parents need to have consistent information as to what their kid’s schedule is. Both field trips and academic study schedules help parents understand what’s going on. This information is beneficial at the preschool and college levels. 

Grade Book and Transcript Information 

Tracking grade book information is helpful for everyone. It keeps parents informed so they can support their kids. This breakdown also saves time for faculty on fielding questions. 
The system should ideally provide you some information on the student’s academic progress.  You should see a time-lapse of their grade point average over a period. 

Student Health Information

It’s important to track student health information concerning their privacy. Health information should include ADA accommodations and other important information. Just be aware to keep that information between you and approved parties. Knowledge allows school administration and teachers to be responsive to those needs. 

What do you Look for in a Student Management System?

It’s good to have student information management systems that track a wide variety of information. This information gives you a more significant potential for higher student engagement. But what are some signs that you have a good one? Here are some things to look out for as you consider your institution’s specific needs:

A Simple On-Boarding Process

Any sound management system has a simple onboarding process. You should never feel that your system is something like rocket science. On-boarding should be no more than a few days. 

Multiple Integrations

An effective school information management system should be able to integrate seamlessly with most software your school already uses. This will ensure smooth operation with little risk of human error or redundant data slowing down your processes.

An Easy Interface

The interface should be easy to understand, even after the onboarding process. Ideally, it should be a system that you could feasibly understand without an onboarding process. 

A comprehensive dashboard with graphical breakdowns of data can be beneficial. The idea is to understand what your data means at a glance. 

A Strong Customer Service Core 

Regardless of a software creator’s best efforts, something is going to break. That’s why you need to be sure the people you work with have solid customer service. You can see much of this customer service focus during the onboarding process. 

The individual handling the onboarding process should be friendly. If they aren’t, this behavior will reflect on the entirety of the company. You should be able to see yourself working with them long-term. 

Expansion Potential

If you run a daycare business, you should be looking for expansion potential. The ability for a product to expand dictates whether or not it can grow with you. If you plan on running multiple daycare centers, you want something you can use over time.

Expansion potential dictates a product that can handle multiple centers or additional staff coming on. You should see this process transparently, especially if you are planning on getting different programs down the road. 

Clear Billing Breakdowns 

As you grow your business, you want to plan out how much expanding your software will cost you. You typically don’t want to expand without that understanding in mind. That means you need to be able to discuss a quote of one daycare center vs. three. Some of the most common pricing models include ongoing subscriptions, per-student plans, and paying per feature.

If your student software provider doesn’t have this information, that should be concerning. That means that they might overcharge you or overexert themselves when handling a larger version of your business. Typically, the price of a software platform will vary based on its feature set, scalability or the level of support the vendor provides.

What Businesses are Student Management Software Best For? 

Good management software applies to all forms of business. These can include the following:

• Technical schools
• Private schools
• Child care facilities
• Public schooling 

All types of schools can take advantage of the right kind of software. You need to be able to answer the following question: will it make us more efficient? 

The answer should be a resounding yes. If you aren’t sure, you might have to discuss your doubts with someone on the other side. They should have examples from their experience as to how other schools have used the software. 

If they are new to the game, they need to paint a good picture. Typically, the best providers have experience with working in education to some capacity. Don’t be afraid to quiz the software providers. They need to think like an educator and school administrative team to know what they need. 

Conclusion

Student management systems make faculty jobs more accessible by giving them an easy place to find and sort information. This system allows teachers and student managers to follow with their student engagement. 

The idea is to create a scenario that makes the lives of administration and teachers easier. So try a bunch of different systems until you find the right one for you. 

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