As this school year winds down for students, school boards and administrators are busy finalizing budgets for the next school year. Schools continue to try to do more with less as space and resources are stretched thin. An investment in electronic student record management can help a school district with both space and resources while also improving compliance and disaster recovery.
Schools today maintain a growing record of students’ personal data, transcripts, test scores, attendance records, medical data, disciplinary records, transcripts, individual education plans (IEP), and many other important documents. In addition, teachers maintain a plethora of classroom lesson plans.
With bulk document scanning, any sort of paper file can be scanned and stored in one system without the need for physical storage space. Once paper files are scanned in, they are indexed and organized for quick access and searchability. Workflow processes are established to access and update records online easily. Then, permissions and protections are established to maintain confidentiality and security.
Free Up Space. Unless you just passed a referendum, space in your school is likely very hard to come by. Think of what it would mean to your district to free up space that could be used for student instruction or administrative staff. When paper files are scanned and migrated to an electronic document management system, areas that were previously set aside for file cabinets and paper storage are now freed up for more productive uses.
Free Up Resources. Locating, filing, and processing student record requests takes valuable time for your limited staff resources. Moving your paper records to an electronic document management system will improve and automate many processes, freeing up your administrative staff to focus on work that adds more value to your school community.
Maintain Compliance. Once paper documents are scanned and entered into an electronic record management system, permissions can be applied to only allow access to those who require the information for their roles. An electronic records management system can help districts be better in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements like the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). In fact, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) has deemed electronic healthcare records to be an essential tool for school nurses.
Recover From Disaster. The thought of what would happen to your school’s paper files in the event of a natural disaster is frightening. When student records are moved to an electronic document management system, your records are protected if disaster strikes – giving you peace of mind.
EO Johnson has years of experience helping schools with their digital transformation. Our secure bulk document scanning and document management services are SOC 2 Type 2 certified. We can help you put a student record solution in place that frees up resources and space while also protecting you from disaster and maintaining compliance. Contact our digital transformation team to get started with an assessment of your school.