What is a student information system (SIS)? 

A Student Information System, or SIS, is an online software that helps institutions keep student data for easier and more efficient management. It collects school-wide data and keeps everything in one place, allowing easy access by administrators, teachers, students, and also parents. Its main purpose is to organize and keep student records such as attendance, performance, grades, and the list goes on. In short, a SIS is a data management tool.

Why is a student information system important?

A SIS is essential in schools and universities to ensure student data is safe yet accessible for daily administrative tasks. It is crucial that a SIS has the complete features to manage student affairs. In this digital age, a SIS is the key to efficient data management. 

Why should you invest in a student information system?

There are several important reasons why a school or university should invest in having its own student information system.

1. Efficient Data Management Tool

A SIS is an efficient data management tool that helps oversee all student data at a centralized location. This makes it easier to access information without having to look up different files or manually sort them out. A SIS also helps with managing school fees, allowing administrators to manage student accounts all in one place without having to set up multiple ones.

It is a very practical and efficient system that can help to save a lot of time for teachers. This is especially true with daily administrative tasks. Features such as gradebook and automated report cards make managing student performances more simple and systematic. These features avoid administrators from having to spend long hours managing teacher schedules.

With all student data in a centralized location, administrators can look up specific information they need on the spot. For example, students data can be given right away to a parent if they suddenly turn up at the school unannounced. Administrators no longer have to rummage through a pile of files to locate it. It’s provided with no delay, hence why a SIS is truly practical and efficient!

2. Increase Productivity

By investing in a SIS, it can help to increase productivity, especially for teachers and administrators. Teachers can easily key in student grades, analyze student performance and get report cards ready. It also makes handling admissions and managing student accounts easier for administrators. 

File sharing is done seamlessly being online. It won’t require the tedious act of downloading multiple files for different people to access them. Stakeholders would have to keep downloading files to have the updated ones. This is a never-ending cycle that is inefficient and time-consuming. However, by investing in a SIS, you can store your worries away! For example, everyone is able to see new updates from any files stored on our file sharing app. By having saved a lot of time with tasks, teachers can now focus more on what they do best; lesson planning and enhancing the quality of student education. 

3. Improve Student Performance

A student’s educational experience can be enhanced through a great SIS. This will result in students and parents being more satisfied and enjoy staying at the school, which lowers the probability of having to change to a different school with a better system as a whole. 

Why is that the case? With the help of a SIS, students and parents are able to track their progress and performance in class right from their smartphones. Teachers can also have a better view of how they can help students and pinpoint their shortcomings as well as celebrate their wins. It is easier for teachers to keep a lookout for students who need extra classes or help with certain problems that would not be so easy to detect if they were to have to analyze each and every student manually. Teachers can also have a better understanding of how students would respond with different teaching methods. 

Having a SIS that covers all aspects of student management is without a doubt a necessity for schools. It helps teachers and administrators with their daily tasks and allows students to easily access their schedule and track their progress through the student portal. This helps them learn the importance of being organized and how online systems can truly increase their productivity. Especially now with the covid-19 pandemic, changing the way how schools traditionally work, this shift of operating online is a must. Exams, assigning homework, and assessments can be conducted online more effectively with the help of a mighty SIS. 

4. Enhance Data Security & Student Privacy

Institutions can also protect student privacy by using a SIS since only authorized personnel are allowed to view information on the database. Since Student Information Systems are products of a technology company, they have the expertise and can spend more resources to ensure the security of student data. 

Since operated on the cloud, there’s no risk of ransomware, creating a lower probability of losing important data.

At QuickSchools for instance, we employ standard encryption protocols (like SSL), which is what most banks use. Using a cloud-based system helps to add more security to your data. Passwords are encrypted, allowing us to continuously monitor for external attacks. Being hosted on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) allows us to scale and meet the growing demands of our customer base. We also get to benefit from the security features provided by them. 

5. Strengthen Parent Involvement

Parents involved in their child’s education is extremely beneficial. They can help their child in terms of homework but can also help by being more encouraging and supportive.

Parent and teacher communication is also improved by using a proper channel, which in this case is an SIS. It is more convenient for teachers to communicate with parents and vice versa, instead of always having to meet face to face. Sometimes the issue only takes 10 minutes at most and using a SIS is the most efficient way to go about it! If we are talking about the sense of urgency, where if parents go to school to meet with teachers is allegedly more effective, there is also a parent portal on the SIS that can allow communications to happen in real-time instead of waiting for an email back. 

A Student Information System is truly the solution to all your problems. Admissions, Billing, Scheduling, Gradebook, and even Transcripts are now at your fingertips. With the ever-changing environment and the evolution of technology, having an online system such as QuickSchools can help ease the burden of every stakeholder at the school. Administrators, principals, teachers, counselors, students, and parents can easily be connected no matter where everyone is. All data is safe, secure, and ready to be accessed on your devices. 

This is your sign! Get a better school management system with QuickSchools today.