Howard County school officials decided not to drop software that has caused problems tracking high school students? grades, attendance and community service hours.
However, they will give schools the option to use another software.
Since July, Chancery Student Management System has been used to track student data. But parents and school data-entry clerks and registrars have been complaining about the SMS, saying it was too slow and not accurate.
“We recognize the challenges of implementing SMS and are committed to providing school staff with resources they need to do their jobs,” said Robert Glascock, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, during the board?s Thursday meeting.
Specifically, Glascock said the following would be implemented to deal with the problems:
» Schools can use the Grade Transporter software to generate local student data reports. SMS will remain the official student record.
» An independent assessment of SMS will take place to determine whether the software will be used throughout the school system.
Copies of the student transcripts would be mailed to the homes of rising ninth-, 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders to check for their accuracy, said Linda Wise, assistant superintendent for school administration and professional and organizational development.
“We?re taking steps to continue to verify the accuracy of these vital records,” she said.
Complaints about the software also had led county PTA Council President Mary Jane Barbato-Grauso to ask all parents to double-check their children?s transcripts.
“Community service hours disappear at the program?s whim, third-quarter report cards are late and final grades will not be sent to guidance until May 31,” she told the board earlier this month.
The school system has used other Chancery software for the past 20 years and has paid an annual $80,000 maintenance fee for those programs. For SMS, the school system spent $570,000 only to discover glitches.
