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 through an electronic grade book, 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),
Student Records System (SRS),
Student Management System (SMS),
Campus Management System (CMS) or
School Management System (SMS) .
The SIS is equivalent to an Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP system for a corporate customer. As such, many of the issues with ERP System Selection Methodology, implementation, and operation of an ERP system apply to schools and their SIS systems.
Functions
These systems vary in size, scope and capability, from packages that are implemented in relatively small organizations to cover student records alone, to enterprise-wide solutions that aim to cover most aspects of running large multi-campus organizations with significant local responsibility. Many systems can be scaled to different levels of functionality by purchasing add-on "modules" and can typically be configured by their home institutions to meet local needs.
Until recently, the common functions of a student records system are to support the maintenance of personal and study information relating to:
- Handling inquiries from prospective students
- Handling the admissions process
- Enrolling new students and storing teaching option choices
- Automatically creating class & teacher schedules
- Handling records of examinations, assessments, marks and grades and academic progression
- Maintaining records of absences and attendance
- Recording communications with students
- Maintaining discipline records
- Providing statistical reports
- Maintenance boarding house details
- Communicating student details to parents through a parent portal
- Special Education / Individual Education Plan (IEP) services
- Human resources services
- Accounting and budgeting services
- Student health records