Managing a school administration is extremely demanding, involving everything from admissions and registration to attendance tracking, scheduling, grades, communications and more. School management software aims to make these tasks easier for administrators and staff by centralizing information and automating repetitive processes.
In this expert guide, we will cover:
- Key capabilities offered in school administration platforms
- Benefits of using school management software
- The top systems available for K-12 schools and districts
- Factors to evaluate when choosing software for your needs
What Does School Management Software Do?
School administration software provides a centralized database for all student data (enrollments, schedules, grades etc.), combined with dashboards, automation and collaboration tools for staff and teachers. Core platforms tend to include these key modules:
Admissions Management
- Online registration forms
- Application processing workflows
- Registration and waitlist tracking
Student Information System (SIS)
- Demographics, contacts, health profiles
- Class and schedule management
- Attendance, grades, assessments, reports
Learning Management System (LMS)
- Curriculum mapping and assignments
- Content libraries and online lessons
- Collaboration spaces for classes
Communication Tools
- Mass notifications via email/text
- Teacher-parent portals
- Internal messaging and dashboards
By unifying these functions in one secure, collaborative system, school management software makes it easier for administrators, staff, teachers and parents to access information and work productively. Automations can be set up to further streamline workflows around attendance, grading, scheduling, billing and more.
According to a 2021 survey by Digital Learning Practice, over 50% of US school administrators report using centralized software systems to manage school operations, with higher adoption rates seen in private schools. The most commonly cited benefits include time savings, simplified reporting, and better accessibility of information across roles.
Key Benefits of School Management Software
While traditional manual processes using paper records and spreadsheets may be familiar, management software offers some clear productivity and efficiency advantages:
1. Organization and Real-Time Data Access
Rather than digging through file cabinets in an office, all student data can be accessed instantly by administrators from anywhere. This also minimizes risks of misplaced records.
2. Automatic Workflows and Notifications
Mundane tasks like taking attendance, scheduling report cards and managing permission slip collection can be automated based on pre-set rules. Emails and texts can automatically inform staff, teachers and parents of updates. Studies show an average of 32 hours per week savings in administrative time from such automation.
3. Analytics and Custom Reporting
Built-in reporting dashboards provide bird‘s-eye visibility into grades, attendance, demographics and other trends to inform decisions. Data can also be exported from the system as needed.
4. Collaborative Platform Access
Teachers and parents can securely access the system to submit and view attendance grades, assessments, assignments updates and more. Mass notifications keep the entire school community informed.
5. Scalability From K-12 to District Wide
Cloud-based systems allow the same solution to scale up from small private schools to district levels, with role-based access control for different users. Minimum training is needed to onboard staff.
By centralizing data and processes, school management software allows administrators and teachers to focus on serving students rather than paperwork. Parents also become more involved in the school experience. Choosing the right software depends on understanding the capabilities available and carefully evaluating vendor options.
Top 10 School Administration Software Platforms
Many student information and management systems are now available as cloud platforms that schools can subscribe to. Here we review 10 top options applicable for K-12 environments:
1. Alma (almasis.com)
Alma is an extremely popular centralized platform for small to medium private schools, seen as easy to implement yet powerful. It includes built-in LMS features.
Key Features
- Registration management
- Standards tracking
- Custom report cards
- Gradebook and GPAs
- Email/texts to parents/students
Pricing
Subscription plans based on number of students, starts around $3000 per year
Best For
Private and charter schools seeking an integrated SIS
2. PowerSchool SIS (powerschool.com)
A leading web-based platform tailored for K-12 schools and districts, with advanced analytics. Interfaces with many common edtech apps.
Key Features:
- Demographics and enrollment
- Attendance tracking
- Special education management
- State reporting and compliance
- Class scheduling optimization
Pricing: Annual subscription packages based on student count, contact for quote
Best For: Public schools and districts needing advanced SIS
3. Skyward SMS (skyward.com)
Robust student data and financial management tools for mid-size to large school districts. Used by over 2,000 K-12 school districts in the US and internationally.
Key Features:
- Integrated student profile management
- Discipline tracking modules
- Inventory control and textbooks
- Budgeting and accounts
- Custom reporting engine
Pricing: Annual fee based on student enrollment, around $8k for under 500 students
Best For: Large districts with over 10 campuses needing centralized financials
4. ActiveGrade Pro (activeeducate.com)
Comprehensive school administration platform with LMS and content built for smaller districts or individual schools. Used across 5,000 schools globally.
Key Features:
- Standards-based gradebook
- Curriculum management
- Analysis of assessments
- Parent and student portal
- Custom reporting
Pricing: Around $6 per student per year for bundled system
Best For: Affordable full-featured option for smaller districts
5. Gradelink (gradelink.com)
Easy-to-use and implement cloud software with gradebooks, attendance tools and parent portal. Used by over 8,000 K-12 schools in the US.
Key Features:
- Automatic grade books
- Parent portal for grades access
- Attendance tracking
- Calendar management
- Discipline tracking
Pricing: Plans ranging from $250 to $1500 per year depending on size
Best For: Small to medium private/charter schools
6. Thinkwave (thinkwave.com):
Intuitive platform with gradebook, assignments, messaging and simple reporting. Popular for blended learning environments.
Key Features:
- Standards-based gradebook
- Messaging and announcements
- Assignment tracking
- Calendar management
- Mobile access for students
Pricing: Around $6 per student per year
Best For: Blended learning classrooms
7. Fedena (fedena.com):
Open-source student information system designed for international curriculums, works online and offline.
Key Features:
- Multi-lingual support
- Assignment tracking
- Custom report cards
- Exam management
- Role-based access
Pricing: Free open-source download. Paid cloud plans around $2 per student monthly
Best For: International or alternative curriculum tracking
8. Chalk.com:
Intuitive mobile-first interface for class management, communicating and tracking student progress.
Key Features:
- Gradebook with standards tracking
- Announcements and reminders
- Share notes and files
- Parent messaging
- Mobile access
Pricing: Free version. Premium paid plans $99 to $249 annually
Best For: Lightweight classroom management
9. RenWeb (renweb.com):
All-in-one private school management with gradebook, admissions, billing and LMS features. Used by over 5,500 Catholic and faith-based schools.
Key Features:
- Online admissions
- Tuition billing
- Donations tracking
- Parent alerts
- Mobile access
Pricing: Around $750 per year plus $4.5 per student
Best For: Faith-based and large private schools
10. Rediker Software (redikersoftware.com):
SIS, admin and admissions management tools designed for independent and international schools.
Key Features:
- Online applicant tracking
- Administrator analytics
- Report card templates
- Custom fields tracking
- Teacher gradebooks
Pricing: Around $1500 per year plus student fees
Best For: Independent schools admissions
How to Select Software As a School Administrator
With a wide range of solutions on the market, from free tools to enterprise platforms, school IT administrators need to carefully assess their specific needs and priorities to choose the right fit. Here are key factors to consider:
Core Functionality vs User Experience
More expensive tools cater towards advanced reporting or state compliance needs but can have clunkier interfaces. Evaluate ease of use for teachers and parents alongside admin capabilities.
Existing Platforms and Integrations
Understand current workflows supported by tools such as payment processing, learning apps or library systems and whether integration is offered.
Cost Breakdown and Contracts
Pricing models vary substantially, with some apps charging per student vs flat enterprise fees. Confirm what support levels are included and any long-term contracts.
Getting input from department heads and even parents on preferences can help narrow down platforms. Budget can dictate options but savings in manual processing time also need accounting for.
Many vendors offer free trials or demo access – extensively testing the interfaces for admissions, teacher gradebooks and dashboards will give the best sense of real-world use before purchasing.
Key Takeaways and Recommendations
School management software aims to help administrators, teachers and parents collaborate more effectively for student success by centralizing information in secure systems that automate repetitive processes. Leading platforms provide tools spanning admissions, registration, scheduling, grading, assessments, communications and analytics.
When evaluating systems for your K-12 environment, consider both functionality needed to support your administrative workflows and reporting requirements as well as ease of use for staff, faculty and parents who will access the system routinely. Platforms tailored specifically for education environments tend to provide better user experiences out of the box. Cloud solutions offer more standardization and support compared to internally built tools.
Allocation of software budgets towards centralized student data and administration platforms has been steadily growing over the past 5 years and the pandemic necessity for digitized information has further increased priority. Like any software adoption, the critical success factors are stakeholder buy-in across administrators, principals, teachers and school IT support in addition to sufficient training and onboarding. When platforms are user-friendly and aligned to existing needs, school management systems can transform productivity and information sharing for better student outcomes.
