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Schools

Schools replacing 2-year-old computer software

Staffers were so bogged down that they couldn't send data on time.

By EDDY RAMIREZ
Published January 16, 2007

INVERNESS - The school district is spending $432,000 to replace a computer software that has been in use only for two years but already has caused all sorts of problems.

The main problem has been sending critical student information to the state on time. Staff members appear to be having difficulty using the software to send student grades and attendance records. The state relies on that information to determine how much money to award Citrus schools so they can meet class size requirements and provide enough help to certain student groups such as those with special needs.

The state also uses that information to decide how many students are eligible for college and financial aid.

It was not clear Monday whether the troubles with the software have caused either the district or students to lose out on money or other opportunities.

But the troubles with SASI, as the software system is known, were apparently extensive enough that they prompted Steve Chamblin, the district's technology coordinator, to seek help from the School Board.

In a memo, Chamblin said most staff members were frustrated with the software.

Because the state is constantly seeking information from school districts and making changes to the way districts report data, Chamblin said, districts face a "heavy burden" to keep up and meet deadlines. SASI, however, has increased the burden on staffers and heightened the likelihood of them making errors, he said.

To complicate matters, Chamblin said Pearson, the softwaremaker, has not been responsive.

In April, the Citrus Times reported that the district offices were being swamped with phone calls from schools reporting myriad problems with the computer system. It was spitting out transcripts with missing or incorrect student information. At the high schools, some students' grade point averages were totaled incorrectly, and some transcripts did not show the total number of community service hours that a student had performed.

Chamblin said then that the schools were able to send colleges the corrected versions of students' transcripts on time. The staff was so bogged down that it was not attending to other responsibilities such as calling the state to report students whose driving privileges should have been suspended for missing too much school.

Chamblin got some relief when the School Board agreed to hire an extra pair of hands.

The district is switching to an updated version of a student information software that the district had been using for 15 years before purchasing SASI.

SASI cost the board $382,000.

Chamblin said in the memo that district officials were pleased with the new software by CrossPointe. Staff members were polled and responded that it "would enable them to improve the quality of their data and enable them to complete their required duties in a more timely manner."

Eddy Ramirez can be reached at 860-7305 or eramirez@sptimes.com.

[Last modified January 16, 2007, 06:34:39]