Records Management for Schools

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The Typical SituationToo often, School Districts waste money and fail at recordsmanagement.  Many purchase a software orhardware solution from a copier company or reseller and think they have solveda problem. This approach is expensive, and usually ineffective.  Support staff is tasked with theominous assignment of effectively classifying, scanning, and managing thedata.   Since many records types need tobe kept, a medium size District will need to scan hundreds of boxes ofrecords.  All too often the project nevergets off the ground, and the expensive up-front cost to purchase the softwareand hardware is wasted.Other Districts do nothing. Soon enough, records pile up and eventually become unmanageable.  Eventually the District or County Office runsout of space, fails to comply with a state mandate (often costing millions ofdollars in a failed audit), or an employee is injured looking through vast amountsof disorganized boxes to find a single record. Eventually, the cost of doing nothing becomes more expensive thaneffective records management.The Best ApproachIdentifying the best approach for records management requires focusing on three core elements: 1) Document Management: K-12Records Retention Standards, 2) Affordable Technology, and 3) Scanning and DataServices. 1.) Document Management: K-12 Records Retention StandardsFirst, records need to be identified and classified as follows:

• Class 1—Permanent Records
• Class 2—Optional Records
• Class 3—Disposable Records

 This is the foundation for developing a records management system andensuring that all guidelines are satisfied.   2.) Affordable Technology Minimizing the cost of technology is essential, especially up-front costs. Records management shouldn't require a huge initial investment.  Further, technology should utilize non-proprietary solutions that afford greaterflexibility and reduce on-going maintenance costs.   3.) Scanning and Data ServicesWith very few exceptions, outsourcing the backlog scanning is more cost-effective for schools.  This should be where limited budgets are focused.  A process for capturing on-going records also needs to be identified that maintains consistency with other electronic forms of data.         For more information about how SyTech utilizes this approach for Schools Records Management, please visit our website.