Week+3


 * Student Information System Evaluation Chart **
 * ** Areas To Address ** || ** Your Findings and Evaluation ** ||
 * Total Cost of Software Ownership (including reoccurring and ongoing costs) || Our district, Vidor ISD, uses Skyward as our SIS. It cost our district between $350-$500K to purchase; the yearly renewal runs at around 15-20% of the purchase price. We use the student and business part of Skyward. I interviewed our coordinator for instructional technology and he said the price was average for the type of SIS we have. ||
 * Software Features Set || Our district has certain packages in Skyward, but not all of them. We use discipline, attendance, educator access plus, family & student access, gradebooks, Skylert, and state access. The discipline allows the teacher to input a referral electronically; it automatically alerts the principal and it is easy to track and view reports. Teachers take daily attendance with Skyward; it is integrated with family access and Skylert. It will call a parent to let them know their student was absent. Skyward attendance allows for verification reporting that Texas requires. Family and student access allows parents to view grades, discipline, attendance and all the parts we use. Teachers use the online gradebook that parents can also view. Skylert will call parents to let them know important information such as school cancellations, accouncements, and attendance. With state access it is easy to transfer/withdraw/enroll students, has accurate data, and is integrated with SIF. Skyward is user friendly for educators, administrators, as well as for parents. ||
 * Texas-specific Functionality || Skyward is a state of Texas approved vendor, which means it can provide the data to the state that it requires. It keeps up with PEIMS data, attendance, grades, and enrollment/withdrawl. Skyward is able to produce the certain specifications that Texas requires our district to provide them. It is also easy to produce such reports. I interiviewed the person responsible for entering test scores and she reported that it was pretty easy with just a few steps. ||
 * Ease of Use and Reporting || With our past system, SIMS, you had to call the vendor and pay for reports. Now, with Skyward, it’s easy to customize and build a report. There have been no problems with data and data mining. The software is user friendly. Skyward is a whole management system so efforts are not poured into just one part of it. Skyward recently had a “facelift” which has made the navigation even easier. ||
 * Customer Support and Experience of the Support Staff || Skyward is timely in addressing concerns; they have responded by email, calling via phone, and they do web links where they take control of the computer. Teachers can ask questions if they are having issues with Skyward and will usually get an email response. Our district coordinator reported that the vendor will direct you through a breadcrumb trail over the phone to solve your problems for timely and remote support. However, when I interviewed our registrar she said you had to know their “language” or correct wording to get the help she needs. She reported that their help button is useful. ||
 * Thorough User Training in the Software System || Training was provided initially by the vendor to our district trainer. Our district trainer in turn trained the masses. Our district trainer provides help topics on our district website as well as doing the initial training on the gradebook. The vendor has provided the same training for the financial and human resources side of the program as well. Skyward also provides a task manager tool equipped with training videos as well. ||