[Powerschool] PowerSchool vs School Master

[Jane Davis]

I have submitted my staff and students files and (knock on wood) there
are no errors.  This whole journey has been quite a process, I am not
sure that anyone would have anticipated the time and effort that has
gone into the whole NSSRS project to date.  So many different factors
hinge on a successful file upload, correct data input, ever-changing
data, attendance dates, entry dates, exit dates, codes etc.  Then there
is also filter servers, update servers and servers at NDE that make the
process complicated.  Add to that the fact that each school does
business just a little bit different and it is unlikely that two schools
are ever set up the same way in powerschool.  You can see where there
are many aspects that could cause problems with this whole NSSRS
process.

The best advice that I have found that works for me is to import the
powerschool csv file into excel and take a look at it.  If you see some
errors, change them in Powerschool and re-run the report.  I did that a
few times before I submitted. I found that one error that I did have
could not be fixed by a re-upload of a data file, I had to e-mail NDE
and ask them to delete a student record and a teacher record and then
re-upload.  It seems that it is hard to know what error/warnings we can
fix and which ones we can't.  Again that comes with experience. Part of
the problem is that technology coordinators are not familiar with
reports that typically superintendents fill out.  So there is a learning
curve with just that as well.   It may seem like a daunting process, but
I don't see any way around it.  I am very happy with PowerSchool, that
is just one piece of this puzzle. They are working at hard at making
revisions as fast as they can. 

I would not even consider starting over again with any other student
information system.  I just wouldn't go there. 

 Jane Davis
Hershey Public School
-----Original Message-----
From: powerschool-bounces at lists.esu10.org
[mailto:powerschool-bounces at lists.esu10.org] On Behalf Of Sharlene
Karbowski
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2007 12:19 PM
To: Mary Chochon
Cc: powerschool at lists.esu10.org
Subject: Re: [Powerschool] PowerSchool vs School Master

Mary, I was just at a conference, and I have been hearing some horror
stories about some other vendors in this process so I don't know about
the
one you mentioned.  I submitted my PS templates to the state and so far
have just had 2 errors, and they were other districts with FTE???  What
are you having?   I am thanking my lucky stars for PowerSchool right
now. 
Believe me it could be a lot worse.....  I know earlier some of our own
entry people caused some of the errors I had to clean up, but that was
my
fault and we were short of information in this first process.  

Sharlene Karbowski
Coordinator of Student Information
   and Web Service
Westside Community Schools
Omaha, NE  68114

Mary Chochon <mchocho at mail.esu7.org> writes:
>I have been hearing some comments about how School Master has every 
>feature PowerSchool does - is cheaper, live person for technical 
>access with immediate solutions - no NSSRS errors, etc.    I would 
>appreciate any insight - plus or minus.  Thanks!
>-- 
>Mary Chochon
>SIS - PowerSchool Administrator
>Erate Contact
>
>Home phone: 308-894-6935
>email address: mchocho at esu7.org
>
>"Hard work has a future payoff,
>but laziness pays off now."
>
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>Powerschool mailing list
>Powerschool at lists.esu10.org
>http://lists.esu10.org/mailman/listinfo/powerschool



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