Schools everywhere are realizing the need for a robust system to manage their operations smoothly. This includes managing huge volumes of student data, drawing valuable insights from it, streamlining admission management, classroom management, internal and external communication, payroll, and much more.
Back in the day, schools used to maintain all records manually which took up a lot of time and resources. Cut to the present digital era, where there are new challenges and higher expectations on educators to deliver seamless learning experiences—adopting an effective school management system has become imperative.
A school management system automates the bulk of administrative tasks freeing up time and minimizing the workload of your teaching staff. This way they have more time in hand to plan learning content that shapes the lives of the students they teach. If all the administrative tasks are handled manually or by a select few, there are chances for errors and duplication of work to crop up. A good school management software can address these pain points effectively.
While there are countless school management systems in the market, it’s essential to choose the one that best fits your institution. Picking the right one is no mean feat. We have laid out the top factors that you must consider while investing in one.
But first, let’s understand why a school management system is essential.
Why should schools move away from manual processes and switch over to a school management system?
With an increasing number of schools opening up to the idea of embracing technology, the education sector is becoming more accepting of digitizing their workflows. That said, for schools that are continuing to stick to manual ways, the transition is easier said than done.
Let’s take a look at a few reasons why it’s about time schools consider switching to a school management system.
1. Manual processes are time-consuming
The manual process of recording and maintaining student data is a time-consuming activity. Not only does it take too much effort to update, but it could also leave room for errors.
Teachers will then end up spending extra time making amends and streamlining the work. This may adversely affect their overall work efficiency.
A school management software works effectively at cutting down the time spent in performing these laborious manual tasks. It makes data retrieval easy and takes care of corrections a lot faster, giving teachers ample time to focus on what they do best— mentor and teach students.
2. Exceeding costs
Maintaining manual records of student data can also cost your business more than you realize. These include the costs involved in printing and buying school supplies among others.
This is where a school management system can make a big difference. While there is an initial investment to bear, it will eventually help you save up huge sums of money when there is an intuitive system to maintain all school records digitally.
3. Lack of timely updates
In the absence of a school management software, your staff has to manually scan through large amounts of data to be able to understand student outcomes.
Reports are not readily available as and when required. Mistakes are bound to be made especially if teachers are loaded with work and they are racing against time to get written report cards of students ready.
An all-in-one solution can take care of these pain points, and make reports with rich student insights available for the parents to retrieve in just a few clicks.
4. Prone to theft or destruction
Student data maintained manually can get destroyed or stolen if not stored in a safe place. Schools have plenty of information pertaining to student attendance, fee payment, and other confidential information. These can be securely stored in a school management system and accessed when needed.
Studies reveal that nearly
83% of companies worldwide have faced one or more incidents of data breach in 2022 and education featured among the top 3 most attacked industries in the last year. This calls for quick action on the part of educational institutions to ramp up cyber security.
How can a school management system improve education?
School management software has helped educational institutions around the world manage their operations more effectively in recent times. Here are four ways the platform can make a difference to your institution:
- The platform is useful for all individuals involved, be it parents, teachers, or students—keeping everyone updated on all the latest happenings
- Smoothens the workflows by automating many of the repetitive day-to-day tasks thereby reducing the burden on the administrative staff
- Stores all the information related to students from enrolment to graduation and beyond in a centralized place providing safe access to those authorized to view it
- Helps you manage key academic functions such as admissions management, online fee payment, classroom management, finance, reporting, and parent communications with greater ease and efficiency
Automation in education
With many organizations implementing automation capabilities to streamline work and improve productivity, the education industry is not far behind. Educators are warming up to the idea of adopting automation to empower them.
Automation in education will further elevate the way learning is imparted. For instance, it is going to enable teachers to build a more personalized experience for each learner. Moving over from a one-size–fits all model of teaching—educators can adopt a more unique student-centric model of imparting learning. If you have been toying with the idea of implementing automation initiatives, now is the time to pick up speed. AI-powered tech innovations will give your institution the much-needed boost to reach new heights in rendering quality education.
5 top factors to look out for while selecting a school management system
1. Success Rate
While choosing a school management software it’s important to take into account how long other well-known schools have been using the platform and whether it has met their expectations. A solution that has a good track record and one that has worked successfully for institutions like yours, will be the most likely choice.
2. Expectations of stakeholders
The platform you opt for must meet the requirements of all stakeholders from teachers to parents to students, other employees, and board members. The software is an important link that maintains transparency in the functioning of the school.
3. User-friendliness of the software
The ease of use of a platform is an important factor that determines how beneficial it will turn out to be for your institution. If the software you pick is complicated, teachers will have a hard time learning and using it. They may end up spending more time mastering the software rather than completing the tasks at hand.
To ease things out, important tasks should not take more than two steps to complete. The search feature also plays a key role in enhancing the user experience on the platform.
4. Scalability
In the initial phase of deployment, you may not have as many student records or details to compile but as your school grows, the student database is bound to grow. To manage vast volumes of data you need a solution that is scalable. The best way to check if a software is scalable is as mentioned earlier—to assess if institutions such as yours have found success with the platform in the past. This should give you a fair idea if the platform is the right fit for your institution.
5. Data protection
Data security is of utmost importance when handling private and confidential student information pertaining to academics, health, or family. The data has to be protected from hacking attempts. It is advisable to store data in a cloud-based platform to safeguard the vital information of students and teachers.
Conclusion
A school management software will enhance the quality of education you offer and it’s a must-have tool to streamline workflows in a fast-paced digitized world. We have done the groundwork for you and have laid out the factors that you must consider before investing in a school management software.
If you are on the lookout for an integrated platform, we have just the solution for you.
Classe365’s school management software is trusted by thousands of leading educational institutions and is the one-stop shop for all student management needs.
Get started today and witness a transformation in the learning experience you offer!
