Think your district is ready to make the switch to a digital records management solution? Here are seven important things to consider as you begin your research.

A software solution for K-12

There are a lot of online document management and processing solutions to choose from. K-12 school districts often have their own unique challenges and needs, so finding a partner who understands those needs, and a software built to meet them, is crucial. 

Data Security and Privacy
You are the trusted guardian of student and family data. There are a number of best practices to consider when it comes to keeping this information private and secure.

• • Is the solution FERPA compliant?

• • What encryption methods does the solution employ with data transfer?
  • Does the provider have end-to-end encryption? If so, what type?
  • Is the data encrypted at rest?
  • Where is the data housed, and what security measures are in place at the housing location for data security?
  • What is the provider’s incident response plan?
  • Does the provider have a SOC 2 report? Will they send it to you?
  • Who is the data security officer?
  • Will your data be commingled with other clients?
  • Who owns your data? The district? The provider? Both?
  • Is there a fee to get district and student data back, and what is the process?

Partnerships and Integrations

Ensure your solution provider can partner or integrate with your existing student information system (SIS) and other systems to make operations as smooth as possible for staff and students.

Customer service & support

Who will your staff turn to when they are in need of technical support? Does your partner provide customer service to students, families, and third party users? Make sure your technology vendor can handle the volume of potential requests for everyone you serve with kindness and professionalism.

Payment processing

Records management solutions can pay for themselves, which is why it’s important to select a vendor who can process payments for records orders. A qualified vendor will work with you to find a solution that is accessible to all students and families. (For example: Current student records requests can be free, while third-party requests are paid. Those funds can then be used to cover the costs of the software or other district projects.)

Data and insights

Make sure your chosen solution provides the data and insights you need to make better decisions. For example, being able to track where students are transferring (virtual academies, charter schools, etc.) can help your district determine if programming changes are needed. 

A holistic solution for the entire student lifecycle

Your operation doesn’t stop with records management. Ensure your technology provider can integrate with other platforms or offer services across the student lifecycle like enrollment management, lottery management, choice program applications, and more.

Conclusion

If your school district is looking for a technology partner to support you with records management, processing, and transfers, Scribbles is here to help. Scribbles serves over 10,000 K-12 schools and districts across the U.S. Our solutions meet the highest standards of security and compliance. We work side by side with our customers to organize and streamline records management processes to enable complete focus on student and family engagement.

"The ScribSoft suite is education focused, in that the products help districts by making data gathering and managing easier, and keeping the main thing — the main thing: Teaching kids."

- Debbie Sterba, Arlington ISD

Are you in need of an online transcript solution that meets these requirements for your district? Learn how districts across the country are solving their paper-, PDF-based issues by downloading The Ultimate Guide to Records Management by filling out the form below.

Download The Ultimate Guide to Records Management