Now families can register students for school the same way they buy movie tickets and order pizza, and school districts are freed from an ocean of paperwork through online registration.
The solution comes from K-12 Online, a product bringing the Software as a Service (SAAS) concept to schools. The online school registration system was tested at a California school district last summer with astounding results. An ordeal that previously took three or more hours, bringing comparisons to airline travel and Christmas at the post office, was reduced to an average of 40 minutes.
One administrator called the pilot project, “Nothing short of absolutely amazing.??? Another stressed how it freed teachers and staff from shuffling papers and allowed them to talk with students and parents and take advantage of the day that shapes first impressions of a new school.
“All they have to do is turn in one piece of paper, get their pictures taken and pick up their books,??? one administrator said. The PTA said K-12 Online saved them $1,000 in publishing costs and increased membership and donations by 30 percent.
The system includes an online school store, where families can pay fees, order a yearbook and buy athletic uniforms online. Booster Clubs and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) can have signups and membership enrollment on the registration page.
The families fill out the online registration forms and print one completed registration form. If they don’t have a computer at home, they can use one at a public library or the school computer lab. Parents can update emergency contacts and health information too.
This online school management software was developed by Jireh Information Systems, Inc. The SaaS concept moves an organization’s data processing onto a service by a specialized company, in much the same way a tablet computer operates from remote software.
