PowerSchool - Student Information System
Posted by: suicidalsam in Computer, General, Internet, SoftwareSIS (student information systems) are a powerful tool for teachers and administrators and PowerSchool seems to be one of the best. It is a web-based, multi-platformed and can be customized; its fast implementation and reliability make it popular in schools. It differs from Focus in that it provides training that allows users to have it running quickly using their own unique data. PowerSchool is an independent system that can be used on any computer, another distinct advantage.
Powerschool makes taking attendance easy, and it’s simple to post assignments and enter grades. It’s web-based so teachers or administrators can work anywhere there is an internet connection. Students can be evaluated using mean, median or mode tendencies and can assign grades to student groups. It features a dashboard-type interface that makes it easy to find data and that data is available to any user. Information only has to be entered once to be included in the system, a significant timesaver for office staff.
Like Focus, PowerSchool lets parents and students access it through the internet. A log lets teachers know how often the students work on their assignments and how involved the students’ parents are in their education. This feature motivates parents to be accountable for their children’s’ success or failure and lets them have access to grades and attendance figures. The majority of parents truly care about their child’s education and performance; Powerschool allows parents to be more proactive and involved.
Tags: Focus/SIS, PowerSchool, Student Information SystemsRelated Posts
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You might consider openSIS as another open source alternative SIS to Powerschool. Also, you article considers a very narrow slice and offers a view that Powerschool allows parents to be more involved, which is an untrue statement. Both Focus and openSIS allow parents to see everything the system collects about their children. Teachers can also set their gradebooks to post assignments into the parent portal as well.
You might also consider discussing the cost factor as Powerschool is simply unaffordable to most small schools. At a retail licensing cost of 28 per students, plus support and maintenance fees that can go as high as $10 per student, it is a costly system to enjoy a few additional bells and whistles. And if you need any customizations, Pearson typically charges $225 per hour for these efforts. Hardly affordable for small schools, especially charter and faith based schools.
Thanks!
Casey Adams
Founder, Open Solutions for Education
http://os4ed.com
You have got to be kidding!
Yeah, OpenSIS is way much better.