FAQs for all Portland Public Schools

1. If schools do more of their own printing (reports, labels, etc.), will additional funds be provided for paper, labels, printer cartridges, etc.?
   IT (the Information Technology Department) is searching for funding sources for any additional local printing costs. Updates will be posted here. In the meantime, remember that the guideline for print jobs is that schools will print small print jobs within the school, but large print orders may be directed to Publications Technology (formerly known as the Print Shop) at BESC. Large print jobs at Publication Technologies incur no expense to the local school. There is no firm line delineating between small and large print jobs, and schools have latitude in determining where to send print jobs. In general IT suggests that print jobs of 50 (fifty) copies and more be sent to Publications Technology and print jobs of less then 50 (fifty) be printed locally. Print jobs sent to Publications Technology in the past have been printed overnight and delivered according to the Pony schedule. Print jobs of 50 (fifty) and less may be printed locally, they may also be sent to Publications Technology.
   
   
2. How will CARAT or CAT interface with eSIS?
   At this time the old CARAT or CAT systems will not interface with eSIS.
   
   
3. Why is PPS purchasing a brand new student information system when the district is facing such serious financial problems?
   The short answer is because it will increase district efficiency and lower expenses.
   
   The long answer is more involved. This is a condensed version.
   Expenses for eSIS are in two categories: capital expenses (for purchase and start-up expenses) and operating expenses (the costs to operate eSIS).
   Capital expenses for eSIS have no impact on the District’s general fund dollars or dollars available for salaries. The capital expense for eSIS is not part of the General Fund; eSIS capital funding comes from a separate funding source that is backed by the funds raised for this purpose in June 1999. These funds may only be used for capital expenses and cannot be directed to general fund expense items such as teacher salaries. The capital funds were raised to address several information system inefficiencies identified in the KPMG study performed a few years ago.
   Operating expenses for eSIS come out of the same fund from which salaries originate—as does the current system—but eSIS will provide savings over the current system’s operating expenses for a number of reasons.
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   • Operating expenses for eSIS are lower than the current system’s operating expenses. Savings will exceed 10%.
     
   • Actual savings should be even more dramatic because eSIS will lower data administration costs within the District as a whole. These savings are not included in the above point.
     
   • PPS is working with MESD, all the school districts within MESD, and the Eugene, Coos Bay, Bend and Beaverton school districts to spread eSIS costs so that PPS operating costs will be lower.
     
   • eSIS will lower PPS IT (Information Technology) overhead expenses. These expenses are outside of the expenses mentioned in the first point. This will occur because the eSIS system is less expensive and more efficient to operate than the current mainframe system.
     
   • The costs to develop new data requirements associated with changing State and Federal reporting requirements will be shared by all eSIS Districts, thereby lowering costs for PPS to comply with these requirements.
     
   • The current system cannot meet the new reporting requirements for OCR (Office of Civil Rights) and NCLB (No Child Left Behind), but eSIS can.
   
   
4. Why can’t we use CIM days for training on eSIS?
   The Chief Technology Officer, Scott Robinson, is negotiating with central office personnel to provide eSIS training during CIM days.
   
   
5. Will the new computers for principals be laptops with docking stations like principals have now? What happens to the old equipment? Can schools keep the old equipment and let other staff members use it?
   Principals will receive new laptops with port replicators (similar to a docking station). Most of the equipment that principals have been using will be refurbished and upgraded for use in district schools. All teachers will eventually receive a new or refurbished system, and any existing hardware that can be brought up to at least the minimum requirement will be reused. This is a district-wide project and the existing equipment used by principals will be treated as a district asset and deployed where it best suits the district’s needs.
   
   
6. Will the paper overload stop with eSIS?
   eSIS should help. We expect that as district personnel learn how to use eSIS they will incorporate it into nearly everything that goes on within the district. School personnel will also need to examine incumbent school business practices. For example eSIS will replace locator cards; schools will have the same information but will access it via computer. eSIS will have the advantage of eliminating the need to pull old versions of cards and file new versions of cards.
   
   
7. Can we use Principals’ Academy time for training?
   IT is investigating whether this can be done. Any additional information on this will be posted here.
   
   
8. When should multiple grade level schools get on the new system? Should they start with the elementary grades?
   Schools that have more than one grade level grouping that includes elementary grades (e.g. MLC, Winterhaven) should plan to begin to use the new system when the elementary schools go live.
   
   
9. Will my Internet connection be improved? When?
   IT is currently improving data communications for each school in the district in a project unrelated to eSIS. Data communications has two components: external communications (between the school and the Internet or the eSIS server), and internal communications (within the school building). For external communications every school will receive at least 1.5 MB connectivity (a.k.a. a full T-1) to the Internet, and high schools will receive more. For internal communications every school will change from a hub configuration to a switched environment (an explanation of this involves too much detail to explain here, the gist of it is that the speed of internal data communications will increase). Each school will also house a server to allow for better printer performance as well as the ability to store files on a central server so that, for example, a student can store an assignment on the server and access it from any school workstation. The implementation schedule for these improvements is available by calling the IT Call Center at 503-916-4357.
   
   
10. Will small schools still have data entry, such as kindergarten registration, done centrally?
    Yes. The practice of entering large data entry jobs centrally will continue.
    
    
11. What kind of support will be provided to principals and secretaries?
    IT staff involved with the old student information system will be available for on-site support. In addition to this help our principal on special assignment is also available for support at the building level. The IT Call Center is also available at 503-916-4357.
    
    
12. Will there be a time gap between training and use of the new system? How will this be addressed?
    Yes. A gap is unavoidable because of the time involved in training the large number of people that need to be trained prior to installation of eSIS. IT will make refresher courses and Quick Reference Cards available to aid users.
    
    
13. How will IT help elementary schools update their antique computers and provide more Internet access?
    See the answer to question number 5 regarding new and refurbished computers. We realize that adequate computers are necessary for eSIS to be successful and will deploy updated computers as quickly as circumstances allow. In any event, IT plans to have these in place before all teachers are on the system in 2003-04.
    
    
14. Will those of us who are non-techies be able to easily use this system? What levels of training will IT provide?
    eSIS was designed to be used by teachers and administrators, not by “techies.” It is logically laid out, has a graphical-user interface—known as a GUI (meaning that users will use a mouse), and has a very good on-line help section. In addition the IT Call Center is familiar with the system and available at 503-916-43457. Every user will experience training in at least two parts. The first part of training will be an overview where training will include how to get online and navigate through eSIS. The second part of training will be specific to what the user needs from eSIS.
    
    
15. Will the training include hands-on and guided practice, as well as independent practice?
    Training will include hands-on and guided practice. IT staff who have significant experience in technology training with administrators, secretaries, and teachers planned the training. There are user guides for each module of eSIS that participants will receive when taking the classes, and participants may practice in a training database. All training will have an instructor as well as at least one helper to answer questions during the sessions.
    
    
16. What kind of ongoing support will there be as we implement this?
    There will be site visits by IT staff as well as refresher courses and courses designed for new staff. Users will also have the course materials they received when going through training. In addition the IT Call Center (formerly called the Help Desk) is familiar with the system and available at 503-916-43457.
    
    
17. I have heard that Nutrition Services will be using a different system. Why?
    The Nutrition Services (NS) system is separate from eSIS but will interface with eSIS to provide the information that school administrators and teachers need.  NS has requirements that eSIS does not support.  NS needs include the ability to support the central kitchen, the warehouse, NS management, and the schools. It must also perform nutrient analysis work, manage raw materials and finished goods inventories, track cafeteria orders, coordinate purchasing and production activities, control distribution to over 100 locations, track meal accountability, interact with point-of-sale equipment, and support a reporting/querying data capability.
    
18. Will I have access to FARMs information even if Nutrition Services uses a different information system?
    Yes, principals and secretaries will have access to this information.
    
    
19. How will secretaries be supported after they receive training? Who will help enter data? IT will provide subs in buildings where there is only one secretary so that secretaries can attend training courses. Data entry for existing students will be performed by IT, data entry for new students will be performed at the school level; temps may be used to augment the efforts of school secretaries at the beginning of the school year.
    
    
20. What kind of basic training will all secretaries receive so that those who are not comfortable on the computer will learn better skills?
    All eSIS users—including secretaries—will receive an introductory course that gives an overview of the system. This introductory course will cover the basics and will allow time for those uncomfortable with computers to ask questions and familiarize themselves with computers and eSIS. Any eSIS users—including secretaries—who are uncomfortable with using a computer are encouraged to familiarize themselves with basic computer usage immediately.
    
    
21. Will elementary principals and their secretaries train together so that they are both hearing the same thing?
    Yes they can train together. It will be incumbent upon them to sign up for the same class. Clerical substitutes can be arranged to cover school duties during training classes, with the expense paid for by PPS IT.
    
    
22. What happens when schools have only one secretary? What will IT do to support schools when the data clerk/secretary is being trained?
    Schools may arrange for a clerical substitute when the sole secretary for a school is at eSIS training. IT will cover this expense if the clerical substitute’s timesheet is forwarded to Bonetta Audette in the IT department at BESC.
    
    
23. Why do the secretary's and teacher’s workstations have to be solely dedicated to eSIS?
    They don’t have to be dedicated to eSIS, but they must be dedicated to staff and teachers only. Because of the sensitivity for security, eSIS operating procedures require that students or student workstations not have access to eSIS and that students not have access to eSIS workstations.
    
    
24. Why do secretaries and administrators have to train so many hours to use eSIS?
    eSIS is a brand new system, and for many people it will require learning a new skill set. In addition because of the power and flexibility of the system, users will profit from investing more time in training; the payoff will be to make their work hours easier and more productive. It may be that some people already familiar with computers or eSIS don’t need as much training time as is scheduled—if that is the case they need not stay for the entire training session—but we think they will profit by attending the entire session.
    
    
25. What about student transfers? How will these be done with the new system?
    eSIS will process student transfers. See the training material for this module for instructions on the step-by-step procedures.
    
    
26. Will pertinent ESL newcomer information automatically show when a student enrolls?
    For now the answer is no. The ESL department is investigating methods to notify schools about students’ ESL status. This answer will be updated when something definitive is available.
    
    
27. Will ESL be able to access records of students at various schools?
    Yes, ESL staff will have access privileges that will allow them to find student records regardless of school.