A student information system (SIS) is a command center for all school districts. It is a central place that allows everyone to easily access school records, administrator tools, and everything school-related.
It can be a communication bridge between the heart of school administration, teachers, and homes.
There are many different student information management systems. They generally have the same abilities, but each software will, of course, have differences.
A student information system can track anything from enrollment to attendance and should provide a school district with the platform and software to run the school efficiently. It should ease the burden on teachers, administration, and other staff to provide comprehensive, quality education and record keeping.
Two of the most popular student information and management systems are Gradelink and Powerschool.
Student information system features
A student information system is a centralized student record system. It has features that make teachers, administration, students, and parents' lives easier. A school's SIS should be the "first stop" when accessing or sharing school-related information.
A sound student information system houses detailed student profiles with an email address, home phone number, and current class lists. Only authorized users and school officials will have access to personal information and student profiles.
A robust student information system will capture students' grades, attendance, lunch accounts, and behavior records.
Key features of a good student information system:
Administrative Reports
- Attendance
- Classes and Scheduling
- Discipline
- Districts
- Integrations
- IT/General
- Medical Records
- Report Cards
- Staff Accounts
- Standards (State and School)
- Student/Parent Access
- Teacher Gradebooks
- Tuition and Billing
- Website Design
Due to the sensitive data that student management systems have, such as testing grades, medical records, and complete profile information of students, SIS companies focus on keeping school districts and their users' data safe.
How do I use a student information system?
The use of student management systems will look different for every group.
Each different set of users (administration, teachers, other staff, students, and parents) will have separate login information and access to different types of data on a school's student information system website or portal.
Staff and Administration
School staff, administration, and district workers have access to most of the information in a school's information management system and its internal processes. The SIS can facilitate a student's entire admission process and even the entire enrollment process.
During enrollment, staff can use the administrative processes to add student information, enroll students into the student records systems, and gather all relevant data needed for each student. An SIS can also facilitate a changeover in student information from one school district to another.
There are so many features available for staff and administration. You can also assign students to classes, view a student's entire school history, track academic processes, communicate with school staff, and more.
Staff and administration will have access to most (if not all) of the school's data and dashboards. Some of the best tools for this group are the reporting tools and an interactive mapping tool that displays data in an easy-to-view way.
Teachers
From grade books to attendance, teachers have a wide range of tools available on SIS software. The right student information system can provide teachers with all of the tools they need to complete their work efficiently and effectively.
Top features for teachers
- Access to student information and profiles
- Behavior reports
- Easy grade calculations
- Attendance tracking
- View their class grade book
- Measure student success
- Administrative tasks
- Class average
- Creation of custom reports for assessments
- Attendance management functionality
- Testing scores
- Annual cumulative grades
- Class rosters
Students
Access for students focuses on a student portal to view a class grade, class performance, attendance records, or even class rosters.
They will have their customizable student dashboard that hosts all relevant information at their educational institutions. Students will also be able to communicate with teachers and other school staff.
Some student information systems even offer a mobile app to stay updated when busy.
Parents or Guardians
Parents and guardians should consider the SIS an easy place to view information about their student's education. It's an easy way to keep everyone aware of any necessary updates, news, and basic school information.
One of the critical features for parents and guardians is communicating with school officials and teachers. The student information system can easily facilitate communication between everyone. It also quickly highlights any student's issues, so parents or guardians can stay on top of things.
Parents or guardians can stay up-to-date on their student's attendance, view announcements, school calendars, grades, lunch money, or any relevant information to their student's education.
They can also sign up for email notifications and receive attendance notifications, lunch notifications, and other important information about their student's school life.
A student information system's bottom line
Student information systems are an integral part of school communities. They bring access to information to everyone within the school system, including parents, students, staff, and administration.