The Best School Administration Software of 2021

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Our Top Picks

Administrator's Plus

Windows, web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment
K-12
Third-party integrations

Administrator’s Plus is a cloud-based school administrative solution that helps users manage learning institutions better. The software saves both time and money by simplifying many administrative tasks, including scheduling, attendance, report cards, billing, discipline, web gradebook, mass notifications, library, admissions, and web portals.

The system is integrated with mobile-ready and web gradebook parent and student portals for easy access. It allows teachers, administrators, and other staff to manage student activities such as admissions, online applications, accounting, alumni management, and staff development.

The key features of Administrator’s Plus are:

Reporting

Student records

Class scheduling

Attendance tracking

Admissions management

Parent/students portal

Administrator’s Plus pricing is quote-based, which means you need to contact the vendor directly to get a custom quote matching your specific needs. It also comes with a demo to show its workings to new users. Support is available online, during business hours, and through the 24/7 live representatives.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Comprehensive features
Different modules
Robust reporting

Cons

Lacks higher education
No real-time chat

Summary

Administrator's Plus

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Windows, web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment
K-12
Third-party integrations

Alma

Attendance tracking
Admission management

Alma is a cloud-based school management software ideal for all types of schools. Its salient features allow school administrators to manage admissions and enrollment processes, generate custom reports, and track communications.

You can use the solution to track bus routes, relay emergency notifications, and track the progress of courses in your institutions. You can also create student profiles that parents and teachers can access to check students’ performance, teacher notes, and attendance. The software allows users to create custom curriculums centered on various competencies and integrate the lesson mapping with their school calendar.

Alma’s core features include:

Special education

Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

Reporting

Third-party integrations

K-12

Class scheduling

Student records

Alma’s pricing isn’t available to the public, so you’ll need to contact the service provider directly to get a custom quote. The software comes with a demo to help new users learn to navigate it. Support is available via the 24/7 live chat, online, and during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Ease to use and learn
Boosts performance
Third-party integrations

Cons

Lacks bookstore management
No higher education

Summary

Alma

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Attendance tracking
Admission management

CANVAS

Higher education
K-12
Third-party integrations

Canvas is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) ideal for K-5 to higher learning institutions. It’s a scalable solution that comes with a blended or completely virtual learning environment.

The software offers full LMS functionality for online learning, including mobile communication, standards-based grade books, course content authoring, and customizable student assessments. It integrates with other teaching tools and education institutions’ existing SIS to offer users greater control and functionality. Mobile apps are available for iOS and Android devices and allow parents, educators, and students to view, share, receive, and update information from anywhere at any time.

Canvas’s salient features include:

Reporting

Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

Student records

Class scheduling

Attendance tracking

Parent/student portal

The software’s pricing structure is custom quote-based. It also comes with a free trial to allow prospects to understand its core features, and a demo showing how it works. Support is available online, during business hours, and through 24/7 live reps.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Highly customizable
To-do list
Comprehensive setup and usage information

Cons

Lacks admission management
Lacks on-premises deployment

Summary

CANVAS

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Higher education
K-12
Third-party integrations

Classe365

Class scheduling
Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment
Admissions management

Classe365 is a unified, cloud-based student management software useful to all learning institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities. Its LMS feature allows the institutions to provide online learning in just a few steps. The SIS feature simplifies course management, grading, assessments, and attendance. Its CRM functions help boost student enrollment.

Classe365’s mobile and web applications support over 100 languages. It integrates with a host of applications, including Google Suite for education, Canvas LMS, PayPal, MYOB, MS office, Stripe, and QuickBooks, to allow administrators to manage their learning institutions better.

Classe365’s main features include:

Parent/student portal

Attendance tracking

Higher education

Student records

Reporting

Third-party integrations

K-12

Classe365 pricing starts at $50 per month or $540 per year for up to 100 students. You can also request add-on modules. The software features a 15-day free trial to help prospective buyers understand its main features and a demo to show its workings. Support is available online, during business hours, and via 24/7 live reps.

Pros & Cons

Pros

API integration
CRM module
Intuitive user interface

Cons

Lacks financial aid management
No on-premises deployment

Summary

Classe365

Starting Price
- 0-100 Students: $50/mo, $540/yr
- 101-250 Students:$150/mo, $1620/yr
- 215-500 Students: $250/mo, $2700/yr
- 501-1000 Students: $500/mo, $5400/yr
- 1000+ Students: Contact for quote
- *add on Modules are also available
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Class scheduling
Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment
Admissions management

ClassLink

Student records
Parent/student portal
Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment

ClassLink is a school administration solution that allows teachers and students to access their learning resources easily. The platform includes a library of more than 5,000 single sign-on applications and links to file folders at school, Dropbox cloud, Google, and Office 365 drives. Its analytics feature helps users manipulate data and generate reports.

The ClassLink Roster Server helps safely deliver class rosters to publishers via open technology standards. Its OneSync features support automation of account provision and offer bidirectional account syncing. ClassLink is accessible from any smartphone, computer, or tablet.

ClassLink’s main features include:

Special education

Attendance tracking

Higher education

Third-party integrations

School district

K-12

ClassLink’s pricing is available on request. Contact the vendor directly to get a custom quote that reflects your specific needs. The software also comes with a demo to show its workings. Support is available online, during business hours, and via the 24/7 live representatives.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Third-party integrations
Comprehensive features
Single username and password

Cons

No reporting
Lacks admissions management
No class scheduling

Summary

ClassLink

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
No
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
No

Features

Student records
Parent/student portal
Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment

Destiny One

Admissions management
Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment
Higher education

Destiny One is a cloud-based student life cycle management software designed for the nonconventional higher education divisions that simplify enrollment by allowing students to register online. The solution allows group registration, offers learners full visibility into program costs, and allows them to access discount coupons.

With this software, staff can easily track student goals and interests, manage waitlists, and use intelligence to control the entire student life cycle. The platform allows educators to create courses, automate program purchase approvals, and distribute certificates.

Destiny One’s salient features include:

Candidate management

Evaluation management

Fee management

Parent/student portal

Attendance tracking

Student records

Reporting

Third-party integrations

Class scheduling

Destiny One’s pricing isn’t published, which means you need to contact the service provider with your specific needs to get a custom quote. A demo is available so users can learn to navigate the software. Support is available online and during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Healthy update cycle
Robust reporting
Comprehensive features

Cons

Lacks K-12
No marketing management

Summary

Destiny One

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Admissions management
Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment
Higher education

Edsby

Reporting
Student records
Third-party integrations

Edsby is a cloud-based LMS built only for K-12 use. It’s a comprehensive digital data and learning system for regional governments and school districts. It brings together workflows, social learning, approvals, reporting and assessments, analytics, course planning, and parent communication to modernize K-12 school administration.

The tool helps teachers collaborate with colleagues, manage attendance electronically, and privately message parents. It allows educators to reuse course materials for subsequent years. Also, it notifies students about late assignments and allows them and parents to view grades once they’re posted.

Edsby’s key features include:

Parent/student portal
Attendance tracking
Report cards
Tests/assessments
K-12
Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment
Class scheduling

Edsby doesn’t list its pricing structure on its website, so you have to contact the company with your specific needs to get a custom quote. The software features a demo to let users learn to navigate the platform quickly. Support is available online and by telephone during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Role-based access
Copying assignments
Confidential communication

Cons

Lacks admissions management
No higher education

Summary

Edsby

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Reporting
Student records
Third-party integrations

Ellucian

Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment
Attendance tracking
Class scheduling

Ellucian is a cloud-based school administration software that helps create a connected campus and college. It’s specially made for universities of all sizes and offers solutions for different departments in an institution, including human resources, finance, IT, recruiting, and admissions.

The solution allows users to create strategies, deploy services, and manage resources to attain their educational goals and priorities. Ellucian helps simplify recruitment, financial aid, forms, enrollment, candidate, fundraising, and staff management.

Ellucian’s core features are:

Higher education

Student records

Reporting

Financial aid management

Third-party integrations

Admissions management

Ellucian’s pricing starts at $949 per year for individual users. Contact the vendor directly if you need further information about the best package for your institution. The software also comes with a free trial to allow potential buyers to sample its features and a free demo to allow new users to navigate it with ease. Support is available online, through 24/7 live representatives, and during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Customizable
Third-party integrations
Strong community of users

Cons

Lacks K-12
No parent/student portal

Summary

Ellucian

Starting Price
- $949 per year for Individual
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
No
Reporting
Yes

Features

Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment
Attendance tracking
Class scheduling

FACTS

K-12
Higher education
Attendance tracking

FACTS is a school management solution that helps simplify student enrollment, course management, and attendance tracking for administrators. Its SIS allows teachers to monitor student behavior, generate report cards, distribute transcripts, and track medical information on a centralized platform.

The software helps educators utilize modern teaching methodologies and blended learning to create, distribute, and track students’ progress. The FACTS family portal allows parents to access students’ information, including grades, assignments, lesson plans, and due dates. The software also allows supervisors to generate reports and gain insight into transcripts, class rosters, and course listings.

FACTS’ chief features include:

Parent/student portal

Student records

Reporting

Third-party integrations

Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

Class scheduling

Admissions management

FACTS’ pricing is available on request, contact the service provider with your institution’s specific needs to get a custom quote. The software lacks a free trial and demo. Support is available online and via 24/7 live chat.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Mobile app
Admissions tracking
Copying assignments

Cons

Lacks reviewer management
No interview management

Summary

FACTS

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

K-12
Higher education
Attendance tracking

Fedena

Admissions management
Parent/student portal
Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment

Fedena is a cloud-based solution that helps users seamlessly manage administrative tasks, including student batches information, daily timetables, admissions inquiries and real-time tracking on fee collection.

The solution comes with multiple modules for managing schedules, student data, messaging, grades, finances, and timetable generators. You can customize its dashboards to offer an at-a-glance overview of specific information to users, such as due dates, attendance numbers, daily schedules, exam timetable, news, and income and expenses.

Fedena’s core features include:

Attendance tracking

Higher education

Student records

Cafeteria management

Curriculum management

Financial management

Reporting

Third-party integrations

K-12

Class scheduling

Fedena’s pricing is available on request, so you need to contact the vendor with your institution’s specific needs to get a custom quote. The software comes with a 14-day free trial to allow prospective buyers to understand its main features before buying it. It also includes a demo to illustrate how it works. Support is available online, through 24/7 live chat, and online.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Highly accessible
User-friendly
Attendance tracking

Cons

Lacks built-in LMS
No special education

Summary

Fedena

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Admissions management
Parent/student portal
Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment

Gradelink SIS

Attendance tracking
K-12
Class scheduling

Gradelink Student Information System (SIS) is a cloud-based school management software that links teachers, students, and parents via a single platform. The system integrates lesson plans, communication tools, attendance, Google Classroom, and reporting in one platform. Since the software is internet-based, you can work from anywhere, making it an ideal tool for distance learning.

The software also comes with personalized training and support at no extra charge. Its scheduling feature allows users to customize grade scales and configure assessments for different subjects and classes.

The salient features of Gradelink SIS include:

Parent/student portal

Higher education

Report card printing

Student records

Reporting

Third-party integrations

Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

Admissions management

Gradelink SIS’s pricing starts at $97 per month. You can contact the vendor to learn about the best package for your school. The software includes a free demo to allow new users to get familiar with how it works. Support is available online and during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Mobile apps
Robust reporting
Email and SMS communication

Cons

Lacks library management
No housing management

Summary

Gradelink SIS

Starting Price
- starts at $97/month, one-time start up fee to set up your database
- *Premium features such as EnrollMe, SmartSend Pro, or the extended data import may incur additional fees, but they are entirely optional
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Attendance tracking
K-12
Class scheduling

iGradePlus

Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment
Parent/student portal
Third-party integrations

iGradePlus is a student management solution and online gradebook for school administrators and other professionals. It comes with personalized web portal accounts for parents and students at no extra cost. The software is fully customizable and provides a host of features, including school and district management, student and class management, behavior management, attendance tracking, grade management, reporting, and communication tools.

Teachers can use the platform to track lessons, grades, and progress. Users can manage multiple schools and entire districts with the platform. School administrators can use this software to optimize student performance. Its attendance and behavior tracking features help teachers report any incidents among their students.

iGradePlus’s core features include:

Attendance tracking

Higher education

Student records

Reporting

K-12

Class scheduling

Admissions management

iGradePlus comes with a free online gradebook, while the Premium plan’s pricing starts at $4 per year. A 30-day free trial is available to allow prospective buyers to gauge the software’s features. Support is available online.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cost-effective
Customizable
Comprehensive features

Cons

Lacks online payments
No demo

Summary

iGradePlus

Starting Price
- Free Online Gradebook: Always Free. No Expiration.
- Premium Online Gradebook: $4 per year
- Enterprise SMS: starts at $200 per year
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment
Parent/student portal
Third-party integrations

Infinite Campus

Parent/student portal
K-12
Class scheduling

Infinite Campus is a cloud-based school management software ideal for districts with 30-330,000 students. It integrates operational management tools, SIS features, and learning management functionality to maintain data and support communications. The system eliminates duplicate data entries via its single database. Also, users can access the platform from their iOS and Android devices.

The software maintains high standards of security via its network of Tier 4 data centers. Its premium plan comes with added functionality, including messenger with voice, human resources, food service, and finance and payroll applications.

Infinite Campus’s core features include:

Student records

Reporting

Third-party integrations

Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

24/7, business hours and online

Infinite Campus’s pricing starts at $420 per month. The software includes a free demo to help users navigate the platform. It also comes with a free trial so buyers can try before they make a commitment. Support is available online, through 24/7 live chat, and during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Alerts/notifications
User-friendly interface
Easy to navigate

Cons

Lacks higher education
No attendance tracking
Lacks admissions management

Summary

Infinite Campus

Starting Price
- $420/month
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
No
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Parent/student portal
K-12
Class scheduling

MyClassCampus

Attendance tracking
Higher education
Student records

MyClassCampus is a cloud-based school management ideal for educational institutions, including universities, colleges, coaching centers, and schools. The solution helps institutions track staff attendance, conduct appraisals, and manage payroll routines. You can also generate custom reports based on student attendance, fees, user data, and inquiries.

The software comes with school management and a mobile app to allow users to access the system remotely. The app allows students and parents to pay fees, access digital libraries, and view exam results.

MyClassCampus’s core features include:

Parent/student portal

Reporting

Third-party integrations

K-12

Windows, web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

Class scheduling

Admissions management

MyClassCampus’s pricing is only available on request, so you need to contact the vendor to get a custom quote. The software comes with a 15-day free trial to allow prospective buyers to understand its key features. Support is available online and during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Easy to use and navigate
Excellent attendance tracking
Numerous modules

Cons

Lacks recruitment management
No self-service portal

Summary

MyClassCampus

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Attendance tracking
Higher education
Student records

MySchoolWorx

Class scheduling
Parent/student portal
K-12

MySchoolWorx is a cloud-based solution that helps school administrators manage student records, online enrollment, and parent communication from one platform. Teachers can use its assignment module to create assignments specific to projects, homework, quizzes, and tests and post them on class calendars.

The software allows administrators to receive, approve, review, and deny student admission applications and enroll approved applicants. Its automated grading system lets professionals calculate students’ grades and relay the information in real time to parents. Teachers can utilize the drag-and-drop functionality to create customizable templates for lesson plans.

MySchoolWorx’s key features include:

Attendance tracking

Higher education

Student records

Reporting

Third-party integrations

Web-based, cloud, and SaaS deployment

Admissions management

MySchoolWorx pricing isn’t available to the public. You should contact the service provider for a custom quote based on your specific needs. The software comes with a free trial to demonstrate its core features and a live demo to help users learn to navigate the platform.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Enhanced communication
Simple format and design
Automatic alerts

Cons

Lacks bookstore management
No financial management

Summary

MySchoolWorx

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Class scheduling
Parent/student portal
K-12

NLET School Management Software

Student records
Third-party integrations
Admissions management

NLET School Management Software helps implement paperless administration of schools. It features over 20 modules that can manage over 20,000 students simultaneously. The software guarantees that school-related data is stored securely in an encrypted form. This web-based school management solution offers a way to handle classrooms in a timely, organized manner.

The software tackles a host of school administrative tasks, including planning daily class schedules, tracking visitors and books in the library, creating exam timetables, and storing student-related data.

NLET’s core features include:

Attendance tracking

Reporting

Examination management

Financial management

K-12

On-premises, web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

Class scheduling

NLET School Management Software’s pricing is quote-based, so you need to contact the vendor and explain your institution’s specific needs to get a custom quote. The software comes with a demo to help users navigate the platform. Support is available online and during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Increased transparency
Complaints and query management
Advanced tracking system

Cons

Lacks higher education
No parent/student portal

Summary

NLET School Management Software

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
No
Reporting
Yes

Features

Student records
Third-party integrations
Admissions management

School Diary

Attendance tracking
Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment
K-12

School Diary is a solution that helps educational institutions streamline processes related to virtual classrooms, admissions, payment processing, and parent engagement. The software also helps simplify, accelerate, and centralize communication between parents and teachers.

The system equips educators with modern tools that help them create and send notes to parents, prepare class timetables, and assign homework and exams to students. It also helps administrators monitor teachers and students’ attendance and handle administrative and accounting tasks via one platform.

School Diary’s salient features include:

One-to-one messaging
Notice board
Events
Attendance
Staff attendance
Fee management
Bus tracker
Contact directory
Performance management
Time table
Admission & inquiry management
Branch Management

Pros & Cons

Pros

Accurate bus tracking and notification system
Real-time insights
Responsive support team

Cons

Lacking certain management features
such as cafeteria management
facility management
and internet usage monitoring

Summary

School Diary

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Attendance tracking
Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment
K-12

Schoology

Third-party integrations
Attendance tracking
Class scheduling

Schoology is a student-focused LMS and social networking solution that helps create and distribute academic content. The system offers a collaborative, integrated learning experience that makes the conventional LMS more effective. The software presents a flexible education platform that standardizes content management.

The solution connects assessments with learning management to help school districts foster better collaboration, improve student performance, and personalize learning for students. Schoology ensures all students access high-quality learning and teaching irrespective of their special education needs or socio-economic status.

Schoology’s core features include:

Parent/student portal

Reporting tools

Asynchronous learning

Blended learning

Built-in course authoring

K-12

Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

Schoology’s pricing is available on request, so you need to contact the service provider directly and explain your needs to get a custom quote. A demo is available to help users learn to navigate the software. Support is available online, during business hours, and through 24/7 live representatives.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Performance based-analytics
Mobile apps
Course creation tools

Cons

Lacks admissions management
No higher education
Lacks student records

Summary

Schoology

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
No
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Third-party integrations
Attendance tracking
Class scheduling

Skyward

Student records
K-12
Parent/student portal

Skyward School Management System is a school management solution that helps meet educational institution’s staff management, accounting, human resources, and student database needs. Its SIS module offers classroom management, office administration, student services, and family engagement for teachers, administrators, and parents.

The ERP module helps manage and automate payroll, fiscal management, HR, and asset management to improve management of educational institutions. Students and parents can access the platform to view grades, tasks, and the school calendar and email teachers.

The main features of Skyward School Management System are:

Attendance tracking

Reporting

Third-party integrations

Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

Class scheduling

Admissions management

If you need information about Skyward School Management System’s pricing, you should contact the vendor directly because it’s only available on request. The software includes a demo to help new users get familiar with how it works. Support is available online and during business hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Family engagement
Accurate attendance records
Multiple fields

Cons

Lacks higher education
No free trial

Summary

Skyward

Starting Price
- Quote based
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Student records
K-12
Parent/student portal

ThinkWave Educator

Class scheduling
Third-party integrations
Attendance tracking

ThinkWave Educator is a cloud-based school management solution ideal for public, private, and international schools. It helps connect teachers, administrators, students, and parents, and it’s affordable and easy to use.

The software helps streamline transcription and report card compiling. In addition, users can access the reports cards via computers, smartphones, and tablets. The system also aids in the collection of updates and reviews from teachers online. It offers a thorough report about each student based on the teacher’s feedback.

ThinkWave Educator’s main features include:

Parent/student portal

Higher education

Student records

Reporting

K-12

Web-based, cloud, SaaS, iOS, and Android deployment

ThinkWave Educator’s pricing starts at $129 per month for 131-180 students and tops out at $299 per month for 421-550 students. The software comes with a free trial to let potential buyers try out its features and a demo to show new users how to navigate the system. Support is available during working hours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Simplifies administrative tasks
Streamlines workflows
Robust reporting

Cons

Lacks admissions management
No bookstore management

Summary

ThinkWave Educator

Starting Price
- $299/monnth for 421 - 550 students
- $249/month for 321 - 420 students
- $199/month for 241 - 320 students
- $169/month for 181 - 240 students
- $129/month for 131 - 180 students
Student Records
Yes
Attendance Tracking
Yes
Class Scheduling
Yes
Parent/Student Portal
Yes
Reporting
Yes

Features

Class scheduling
Third-party integrations
Attendance tracking

How We Chose the Best School Administration Software

Weighing features, functionalities, and costs to find an ideal school administration software can seem like an overwhelming task. To make your search process faster and easier, we put together a list of the best 20 school administrative software programs of 2021. Our criteria included features that matter most to educators and school administrators, including:

Administrative Tools

We recommend software that offers many school administration features, including student records, attendance tracking, class scheduling, and admissions management. Other crucial administrative tools that we considered included gradebook generators, basic accounting for fee collection, timetable management, staff and teacher management, certificate generators, and payroll management.

Parent/Student Portal

This feature allows parents and students to access school information themselves, which frees up more time for school office staff to devote to other tasks. Parents can log in and view their child’s information anytime. They can keep track of attendance, homework, and progress. Students also access the system to check for new assignments, exam timetables, and other relevant details.

Reporting Functionality

Easy access to detailed reports make it easier for administrators to measure the performance of their faculty and students and make key decisions. We considered school administration software that generates different types of reports, including staff, student, exam, fee, and library reports.

What Is School Administration Software?

School management is a difficult task in any educational institution and requires painstaking monitoring by all parties involved. Proper examination and use of data in educational settings can help streamline these institutions. This is where school administrative software comes in. This tool is a learning management system that helps simplify and improve the administration of education centers.

The software allows all learning, administration, teaching, and assessment to be managed via one platform. This solution is one of the most widely used software in schools and other learning institutions. It helps minimize school administrators’ workloads by assisting them in automating repetitive and tedious processes, such as report card generation, attendance register maintenance, transportation management, ID card generation, and hostel management. The software can be implemented in schools, colleges, coaching centers, and universities.

School administrative software handles most administrative tasks in learning institutions, enabling administrators to channel their efforts to more productive tasks. The software can scale with the institution whether the student population is expanding or shrinking.

Benefits of School Administration Software

School administrative software comes with many benefits to users, including:

Saving onpaperwork: Implementing school administration software does away with most paperwork by automating numerous tasks. For instance, processes such as record keeping, form filling, and report card generation that traditionally require many printouts are automated, eliminating the need for paperwork.
Enhancedcommunication: One of the main benefits of school administration software is centralizing administration, which helps to enhance communication. The solution allows automation and customization of communication within the system, so students, teachers, parents, and administrators can easily connect.
Savingstaff hours: Through automation of repetitive and tedious administrative tasks, the software helps to free employees’ time for more productive tasks. Many activities such as data analytics, reminders to library defaulters, and push communications are achieved by a click of the button. This helps save on HR and overtime costs.
Collectingdata and statistics: School administrative software not only allows for tracking course content and resources but also helps users know how they’re being utilized. The software makes the assessment easier for both teachers and administrators, and users can generate reports based on the captured data and take corrective actions.

Must-Have Features for School Administration Software

Ideal school administration software must have some key features to accommodate daily routines for any educational institution. They include:

Program management and class scheduling: This feature helps structure curriculum, group classes and courses and define their individual characteristics. This is a fundamental functionality in school management software. It also supports class scheduling for virtual or in-person class meetings.
Academicmanagement: Teachers encounter many challenges in coordinating and supervising students. With roles like administrative assistants, secretaries, teachers, and support staff, this software helps manage daily academic procedures effectively.
Financial andassessment management: This feature supports attendance tracking, assessments, grading, pending and outstanding payments, financials, and payments for each teacher.
Studentadmissions and records: Ideal school administrative software should support student registration and enrollment in courses and classes. This information can then be used to monitor and analyze the performance of individual students until they graduate.
ID card generator: This tool simplifies generating identification cards for students and teachers. The card is generated automatically using stored data, and a fresh photo can be taken each year to create an updated ID.

The Cost of School Administration Software

The cost of school administration software varies depending on several factors, including the pricing structure and mode of deployment. It can be a one-time payment, or it can be charged per student or as a monthly fee.

Perstudent: A majority of school administrative software vendors price their product based on the number of users. Pricing typically ranges from $0.99-$22.00 per student per month. On average, you should expect to pay $5.94 per student per month.
Monthly: Larger schools with more than 800 students may find paying a set monthly fee makes more sense financially. Packages can start at about $1,199 per month, and may include features such as file storage.
One-time purchase: Administrators may decide to pay a one-time fee to purchase the software outright, and have it installed on the school’s servers. The pricing for these platforms starts at around $4,000.
Cloud deployment: Cloud-based solutions are offered for a monthly subscription fee and are hosted on the vendor’s servers. This option is more affordable than a one-time purchase.