Challenge
- Difficulty managing volume of paper forms (10-30 forms per student, for over 3K students)
- Inefficient payment collection process
Products & Solutions
Results
- Enrollment was used by 96% of families—exceeding their expectations by 100% for funding and donations and delivering a positive ROI for the district.
San Marino Unified School District, located within Los Angeles county, is the top ranking public unified school district in California.
With four schools and more than 3,000 students, San Marino USD has been the highest achieving unified school district in the state since 2002. Until the district began using PowerSchool Enrollment, their student registration and payment collection processes were paper-based.
The Challenge
Before San Marino USD converted to online enrollment and payment management, they distributed and collected 10-30 paper forms per student. With over 3,000 students and the additional task of collecting and allocating payments for the district’s 12 organizations, it was an overwhelming process for administrative personnel. San Marino USD needed a customized solution that would streamline both processes, providing an efficient and innovative way to collect payments and vital data.
San Marino USD was looking to achieve specific goals. “Not only were we seeking to ensure that we have updated and accurate demographic and emergency contact information in our SIS, but we needed to simplify our payment collection process,” says Stephen Choi, Chief Technology Officer at San Marino USD.
Student enrollment and registration at San Marino USD included dispersal of tons of forms to collect funds for activities, items, and the district’s foundations. Families annually received forms for the district’s school foundation, PTA organizations, Partnership for Awareness, yearbook orders, various activities, and boosters. “We were inundated with paper, but PowerSchool Enrollment proficiently transformed our old process into a comprehensive online solution,” says Choi.
The Solution
Families would write out separate checks for donations and payments, which soon became a demanding task for administrative personnel. “In implementing PowerSchool Enrollment, we also selected to use their Payment Management service. We didn’t want to be the middle person responsible for distributing the money to 12 different organizations. We wanted a neutral third-party vendor, which is what PowerSchool Enrollment provides. Their system is able to dissect which items belong to which organizations and distribute those funds directly and correctly to each one,” says Choi.
“Experience was the key factor in our decision to partner with PowerSchool. They have a long history of demonstrated knowledge for developing customized solutions… and their reputation precedes them. Our neighboring districts speak highly about their success with PowerSchool Enrollment and the amazing customer service they provide. That helped make our decision to collaborate with PowerSchool that much easier,” adds Choi.
The Results
San Marino USD achieved a 96% utilization rate from families through the use of the Payment Management service. “We didn’t want a technical solution to be an obstacle for our parents. If families had to jump through hoops in order to give donations, it would ultimately affect our bottom line,” says Choi.
“Our return on investment for partnering with PowerSchool Enrollment has proven to be valuable. Our solution eliminated much of the labor and all of the administrative work that was required to collect and distribute data. The efficiency, quality, and proven execution of PowerSchool Enrollment provides us with an unparalleled solution that our school administrators and families love,” says Choi.