30 September 2004

Pilot project for student data system

Education Minister Trevor Mallard today announced a pilot project for an accredited student management system, which will improve school administration and enable the sharing of student information and records between schools and agencies.

"This pilot involves funding schools so they can move onto an accredited student management system which will help teachers and schools in administration and management," Trevor Mallard said.

"Use of the system will free up teachers to get on with the important job of teaching. It will also lead to better quality of teaching as a result of the improvements in the storage and handling of student information.

"Having integrated administration and management, and classroom functions in the same accredited system will improve access to information within the school - such as student assessment information. It will also smooth the communication with other schools, the Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

"It will also facilitate the transfer of records and student data between schools, and agencies - for instance when a student shifts schools, or for the transfer of NCEA assessment data to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

"If a system is accredited it means both the software company and its product has met minimum standards to operate effectively and properly support schools in the New Zealand education system.

"We are committing $1.2 million to run this pilot using Integris in Term 4 of this year and Term 1 and 2 next year. About 150 schools are expected to take part, with the government funding the software and training costs of changing to the Integris system.

"From the pilot we will learn more about the impact on schools of changing to an accredited student management system, and we will be able to iron out any glitches that may occur, before going to full roll-out," Trevor Mallard said.

State or integrated schools will be eligible to take part, but they must either be new or merging schools or they must be currently using a system where a vendor has pulled out of the market, or they must be part of a cluster of schools in the same geographical location. More information will be available next week on www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/sms

ENDS

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