Improve Student Achievement and Data

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 is a federal law that aims to increase the performance of U.S. primary and secondary schools and to ensure that all students achieve academic success. Rooted in improvement through collecting, sharing and utilizing better educational data, the NCLB asks schools to make all decisions based upon the best, most integrated data possible.

Applicability

All public primary and secondary schools in the U.S. must comply with NCLB. Private schools are not obligated to participate but may do so equitably. Every student must be annually tested, and each school must reach the NCLB’s standards for adequate yearly progress. By the 2013-14 school year, children should be proficient in math, reading and science.

Education Industry Impact

NCLB allows for states to develop their own plan for accountability requirements but asks schools to collect, report and maintain the security of student data and academic progress. These requirements expand the traditional scope of school records and emphasize the importance and accuracy of records systems. Federal grants are available to help schools comply with NCLB. The government allocates federal education dollars as NCLB funding for each state, and noncompliance can result in the loss of millions in federal funding. In response to NCLB, schools are investing in technology that helps them:

• Convert paper records to electronic data to improve information usability.
• Enhance records security and maintain the privacy of student records.
• Ensure data accuracy and system integrity.

ECM Enables NCLB Compliance

To address NCLB requirements, stay competitive and reduce costs, schools need technological solutions for simplifying records management, security and data tracking. PaperFlow^TM, PaperVision^® Enterprise and ImageSilo^SM provide Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software and on-demand services that allow schools to effectively capture and manage electronic information. As an outsourced service, ImageSilo helps schools store and control growing amounts of data without increasing IT demands. Additional services like email management and automated document routing enable schools to further reduce the cost of records management throughout the entire school district.

Electronic Data Management for Improved Information Value

In response to the NCLB, the National Center for Education Statistics encourages schools to redesign data collection programs from paper to electronic, thus improving data quality and increasing data usability. Digitech Systems’ ECM technology simplifies the document conversion process and makes records easily usable and traceable.

• Powerful capture capabilities enable schools to scan and index hundreds of paper documents per minute and automatically import virtually any electronic information for management in the ECM system.
• A single ECM system helps administrators centralize disparate systems for secure yet accessible records.
• Intelligent search features find student records in seconds and facilitate NCLB reporting.
  

Uncompromised Security to Protect Student Privacy

Secure information systems are key for NCLB compliance, which requires schools to maintain the security of student data and protect information from unauthorized access and revision. PaperVision Enterprise and ImageSilo safeguard data with multiple levels of security that provide protection and peace of mind.

• Extensive system configurations enable customized security rights for every user and give administrators control over who can read, change or share student records.
• Redaction hides sensitive information within an academic progress report to de-identify records and protect privacy while making records available for use.
• 256-bit AES data encryption can occur both during transmission and when documents are stored, ensuring information is protected at all times.
  

Verified Data Accuracy and System Integrity

The accountability provisions of NCLB emphasize accurate, reliable and high-quality educational data, because it is used to determine a school’s adequate yearly progress. Recommendations include having a procedure for data verification. PaperFlow ensures scanning accuracy, and PaperVision Enterprise and ImageSilo can provide evidence of data accuracy once information is stored in the ECM system.

• Scanning quality control modules verify that captured data has been scanned and indexed properly.
• Match and merge technology extracts information from existing databases and uses it to populate indexes, ensuring accuracy and continuity across multiple academic records.
• Check-in and check-out functions create multiple document versions that enable administrators to trace data modifications and verify report accuracy.

This document is for informational purposes only; Digitech Systems, Inc. is not liable for errors, omissions or inadequacies. Please consult an appropriate compliance expert to understand your needs. This information is subject to change without notice.