Building an information sharing management system (ISMS) for administrative services in a charter school

With increasing government imposed reporting requirements and the need to improve the productivity of educators, many schools are exploring the use of technology to effectively deliver administrative services. This is especially important for charter schools, which face additional contract reporting requirements and the need to track student performance while achieving business objectives; yet there is limited research in the deployment of these technologies. In response, a case study was completed of a charter school in Los Angeles. The research questions evaluated whether the deployment of a centralized information system and the use of Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) concepts could effectively improve the delivery of administrative services. The study found that a centralized information sharing system did improve administrative services while simplifying access to critical information. School administrators could access information in real time resulting in improved communications with staff and increased productivity. The application of a formal BPR was also found to provide tangible results allowing administrators to streamline how information is gathered, saved, and shared. Charter schools and other educational institutions may want to explore the potential benefits of using BPR and a centralized information system. With public education having a critical role in preparing students to work in a global economy, centralize information systems can help to identify waste, highlight duplications, and provide more reliable reports on school performance resulting in improved student outcomes and more efficient use of public funding.