2013-2016 Technology Plan - Osceola County School District

Administrative and Instructional Technology
and the number of students who are eligible for the free and reduced lunch program. This data is critical
because it influences funding. The district prioritizes student data requests systematically, servicing
requests that impact funding and requests for student transcripts first.
19The district has taken steps to minimize the number of independent
databases and build interfaces for databases that support district
objectives but are independent of its centralized computer systems.
The district maintains an inventory of databases that operate outside the TERMS
environment. However, interfaces are developed to synchronize and integrate data
maintained in each. No recommendation.
District databases
Although TERMS is the primary database maintained by the district to track financial and student
information, other databases are also maintained solely by the district to support additional operational
and administrative initiatives. These include, the professional development web application, the HEAT
Help Desk, maintenance work order and warehouse requisition applications, property and records
management, and the Pinnacle Grade Book system.
District IT staff maintain the data in these systems by developing interfaces that synchronize the data
between systems. For example, 12 schools currently are fully operational in the use of the Excelsior
Pinnacle Grade Book database. This application was purchased to assist teachers in tracking student’s
classroom grades and attendance. An interface was developed that is scheduled to run during the wee
hours of the morning to synchronize the Pinnacle Grade Book data with TERMS student attendance
information. When teachers come into class the following morning, their class rosters have been updated
with the latest TERMS attendance information and TERMS has been updated with the latest student
performance information.
Independent databases
In addition to supporting district database applications, IT staff also develops interfaces that allow
TERMS student information to be extracted and imported into independent systems like the Food Service
program (SNAP) which depends on information regarding a student’s eligibility to receive a free or
reduce priced lunches. Additionally, the use of the Education Logistics software (EDULOG) to route
buses throughout the district requires updated student address information that is also to be supplied
through an interface with the TERMS student information system.
OPPAGA 6-39
2013 Educational Technology Plan 39/40 School District of Osceola County Florida