Student information system
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A student information system (SIS) is a software application for educational establishments to manage student data. Student information systems provide capabilities for entering student test and other assessment scores, building student schedules, tracking student attendance, and managing many other student-related data needs in a school, college or university. Also known as student information management system (SIMS, SIM) or student records system (SRS).
These systems vary in size and scope, from packages that are implemented in relatively small organisations to cover student records alone, to enterprise-wide solutions that aim to cover most aspects of running large multi-campus organisations with significant local responsibility. Many systems can be scaled to different levels of activity, and can be configured by their home institutions to meet local needs.
The common functions of a student records system are to support the maintaenance of personal and study information relating to:
- Handling enquiries from prospective students;
- Handling the admissions process;
- Enrolling new students and storing teaching option choices;
- Handling examinations, assessments, marks and grades and academic progression;
- Maintaining records of absences and attendance;
- Handling the award of credit or qualifications, graduation, and post-graduation contact with alumni.
In larger enterprise solutions that have student data at their core, further functions in finance, human resources, estates management and more may be catered for by the software.
Where national or government systems exist for student finance or statistical return purposes, student records system often provide functionality that caters for this, by way of modules or core elements that handle the production of required files, or deal with the formatted transfer of information. Examples are the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process in the United States, the United Kingdom's Student Loan Company processes (SSAR, SSAC and ATFEE file processing), the UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) in the United Kingdom, or the HESA and HESES student statistical returns in the United Kingdom.
In the past, universities in particular have created their own bespoke student record systems, but with growing complexity in the business of educational establishments, many organisations now choose to buy customisable off-the-shelf software. Modern student information systems are usually server-based, with the application residing on a central computer server, and being accessed by client applications at various places within and even outside the school. Since the late 1990s, student information systems have been moving to the web. Some, such as PowerSchool and Focus/SIS, are entirely web-based (data entry and viewing), whereas others only publish web-accessible content.
In late May 2006, Pearson (provider of SASI) announced the purchase of two major competitors: Powerschool and Chancery.
[edit] List of commercial systems
- Banner [1]
- BocaVox MAESTRO [2]
- Champlain Software [3]
- Colleague [4]
- eSIS (AAL Solutions) [5]
- Homeroom SIS [6]
- PowerSchool
- SA LINK [7] (co-curricular programs only)
- SASI [8]
- SchoolWorks Student Student Information System [9]
- Winschool / Macschool [10]
- SITS (Tribal Technologies) [11]
[edit] List of FOSS systems
- Focus/SIS - Writing mostly by Andrew Schmadeke, Focus/SIS uses PHP and PostgreSQL, Focus/SIS
- Centre - precursor to Focus/SIS
- Open Admin - Primarially designed for Public and Catholic schools, using Perl and an SQL database.
- SchoolTool - Written in Python for Zope 3 by the Shuttleworth Foundation, SchoolTool aims to cover every school administration need (project website)
- LogiCampus - Using the LogiCreate PHP framework and an SQL database, this used to be a commercial project. After being open sourced development has been slow.
- Community Source Student Services System - Is a project started in 2006 to build a web and SOA based student services system. The idea of the project is to build a next generation system from the ground up using modern coding practices and technologies. It was originally funded by a Melon Grant
- FreeMIS - FreeMIS is a web based management information system (MIS) in use by two UK schools.
- ClaSS - ClaSS (ClaSS Student System) is a complete student tracking, reporting and information management system. Written using the latest web-application methodologies it is is in continuous development and in use by schools since 2004.
