The Student Information Database
A central storehouse of information on a student’s education
The first step in managing student information is the creation of the student information database. This database should hold all of the information relating to each student. For example, a student’s full name, checked out library books, science grade, disciplinary record, and much more would ideally all be available.
What sort of database should be used?
The database system best suited for use by a classroom teacher depends on many factors. The teacher’s goals, the teacher’s comfort-level with technology, and the current technology resources already in use would all need to be considered, for example.
Some simple database programs can be downloaded from the internet and set up quite easily by a teacher with basic computer literacy skills. Other, slightly more complex database software, can be purchased at most computer retail stores or through online outlets. Very powerful relational database software is more expensive and must be ordered, installed, and maintained by an expert computer user. These powerful programs, however, can be very helpful in managing and analyzing student information. They also can be used by most teachers with only a bit of practice, once they have been set up by an expert user or technology support staff person.
Of course, each classroom teacher could establish her own database on a classroom computer, using simple database software. If the classroom contains a mini-network of machines, then the database might also be installed on the classroom server.
Ideally, however, one database should be established for an entire school or even for the entire district. In this configuration, student information could be stored and examined by all teachers, administrators, and staff members throughout the student’s entire education. Teachers would not have to worry about passing information along to administration or to the student’s new teachers each year. Also, teachers and administrators would all have instant access to all pertinent data on a student any time they were able to access a networked computer.
As with as many technologies as is feasible, but even more importantly, the student information database must be based on open standards and non-proprietary file structures.
Are there FERPA or other privacy concerns?
Because stringent privacy laws govern the appropriate use and dissemination of student information, security can be a concern, but need not be a major concern. Most database software can easily be configured to reveal sensitive information to only those teachers or staff who need to know by assigning those who use the database to various groups and assigning specific “permissions” to these groups.
For example, the school principal and the student’s classroom teacher would be able to see information on a recent disciplinary referral, but this information would be unavailable to other staff and faculty. The district technology team can make decisions on such permissions before the database is installed.
What information goes into the database?
All of the information related to the student should be stored in her personal database record. The database should be structured loosely so that new categories of information can be added at any time. Imagine the benefits of having all of this information immediately available — at your own desk:
Each student’s personal information, including full name, date of birth, age (calculated automatically from the DOB), gender, Social Security number or Student ID number, pertinent medical information, address, home phone number, emergency contact information, and guardians’ names, along with work and cell phone numbers. The database should also include a color scan of the student’s most recent class photo for identification purposes.
Each student’s progress in your classroom. The database can manage all of the assignments for your class, even figuring the student’s grade automatically according to the teacher’s specifications. See "Managing Grades and Other Student Information" for more ideas on collecting student grades and information using technology. Read "Automation Makes Life Easier" for suggestions on keeping students and parents informed on class performance.
Each student’s full academic history. The format of this information could be determined by the district. For example, only final or quarter grades for previous years and courses might be made available to current teachers. Conversely, the district could provided very detailed information, including the grade received on individual tests and homework assignments, alternative intervention strategies, instructional modifications, even standardized test scores.
Each student’s full disciplinary record. Again, this information could be limited to by the district. For example, current teachers might see their own disciplinary referrals in detail, but only a summary of referrals by other teachers. Administrators, on the other hand, could have full access to all detailed records.
Administrative records on each student. For example, the books the student has checked out of the library, any fines or fees he might owe, the amount of money remaining in his lunch account, and a complete attendance history could be instantly viewed.
Class assignments and projects for each student. If students are asked to submit their course work using technology (see "Student Work and Workstation"), then copies of this work could be linked to (or even imported into) the database and be called up for immediate review on the computer screen.
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