MIS Recommendations

[wing045]

So, long story short, we've been using a hosted MIS solution. We got an email today telling us that they're discontinuing the service after this academic year. Now we're left with 4 months to find a new one, install it and train everybody to use it before the end of the new school year. So we're now in the market for a new MIS and fast!

 

I've some experience myself with various different systems and have one in mind but want to spend at least *some* time exploring alternatives with the limited time I have available! So if anybody has any recommendations for an MIS which is a mature product, has good support, a track record and is unlikely to disappear after a year or two - please can you share your experiences?

 

Thanks!

[bigdannyb79]

can you mention who its is ? Interested to know who's stepping out.

[Bromcom_John]

Considering your "location" I suspect you also need to add

"Willing to either travel for on site training sessions or well versed in delivering online training"

As a supplier representative I can't promote.. but a lot of your evaluation work will be supported by reviewing the various threads that have discussed the existing frameworks that a number of the suppliers are on.

e.g. http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/76154-something-keep-eye-dfe.html

 

Other than that I will leave the floor open to your peers to offer their own personal experiences of the market.

[bigdannyb79]

would be worth you mentioning you phase of school and size etc will prob have an influence on whether people would recommend a product.

[wing045]

It's CLASSiS from an Irish company called Learning Data.

 

We're an independent British Overseas School in Romania. An all-through school with early years through to sixth form. Around 600 students on one site. Some boarding provision.

[elsiegee40]

@vikpaw works in a similar school and will hopefully appear

[vikpaw]

It's do-able. I've had to do it. If you're international then look at Double First Engage, I switched to them at the last minute and had no on-site support. http://www.edugeek.net/forums/mis-systems/148000-end-era.html

 

There's probably a lot more info I can add to that now. I'm currently involved in 3 further installations.

[wing045]

Thanks @vikpaw that's really interesting. Whereabouts are you in Saudi? Last year I was working in Jeddah. We used SIMS there and I have quite a bit of experience with it so I'm tempted to go that route simply because it will make the transition easier with such a short time span, but despite the time scale I don't want that to be the ONLY reason we choose SIMS when it has such far reaching consequences.

[vikpaw]

Um, Jeddah! Small world!

I may have been involved in helping out your school take it on board. Soon after we ended up leaving due to the reasons in that post. Generally it was pretty inflexible for our needs.

I wouldn't say it's easy to get installed, but if you know it, it will be easy to use.

I'm much happier with Engage.

 

I'm currently working with another school in Jeddah who are taking on Engage and another in Riyadh that is mid-way through rolling it out.

[GREED]

Um, Jeddah! Small world!

I may have been involved in helping out your school take it on board. Soon after we ended up leaving due to the reasons in that post. Generally it was pretty inflexible for our needs.

I wouldn't say it's easy to get installed, but if you know it, it will be easy to use.

I'm much happier with Engage.

 

I'm currently working with another school in Jeddah who are taking on Engage and another in Riyadh that is mid-way through rolling it out.

So when do you get your Double First uniform and name badge?

[vikpaw]

They can't afford me!

[GreenMonster]

Another DF Engage user here. Just added a 7th school DB and set up in about a week but that's from scratch with no pupils who will be added through web admissions. And I cheated and copied most of the settings over. Don't know about transfer of data - Vik would though!

[Ditto]

I see in the market share that Follett's Aspen was marked as '...has ceased operation in the MIS market (UK) at 2015 or prior' - what happened, why did the pull out of the UK market?

[GREED]

Long story there. Basically they decided to concentrate on other markets. There was still a lot they had to do to get it UK ready too, but it was getting there.

 

Strategic decision more than anything, bigger opportunities in the US and Canada.

 

In case wasn't clear, I worked for them during their stint here

Edited April 30, 2016 by GREED

[RootsSchImp]

I would cast your net wider than Sims if I were you cos their initial cost is so high. Edited May 1, 2016 by elsiegee40

[ajevanu2]

The market for a school MIS is quite wide and lots of companies make good kit and all have merits. Cloud based solutions have flooded the market in the last couple of years. No one solution is ever going to tick every box, but you and your school need to be clear what they want. All the companies have initial setup costs, add on / bolt on packages and you need to bear this in mind. You have experience in using other MIS such as SIMS and this will help in getting your head logically around reports, classes etc.

 

All the companies will claim they can transfer data from previous setup's but often will bring glitches etc. Your in a great position in being able to design a setup best for your school and get rid of any bugs / issues you have had in the past.

 

I've used both Facility and SIMS in independent school settings and over the two, SIMs was better for me. One school I worked in had the same SIMS setup in it's international school, with a couple of additional modules that SIMS make. I've heard good things about iSams as well.

PM for more info if you want to.

 

As previous post's say, you need to shop around and have a play. What are your local competitors using? See if you can go over and see with a real life system, not just a demo dummy...That way you also have a local contact for help and support.

 

Good luck!