OpenSIS

Last updated
openSIS
Developer(s) OS4Ed
Initial releaseAugust, 2022
Written in Dotnet Core with Angular
Operating system Cross-platform
Standard(s)SaaS
Available inMultilingual
Type Student Information System
Website opensis.com

OpenSIS is a cloud-based student information system developed by OS4ED, a U.S.-based company established in 2008. It serves various educational institutions, including K-12 schools, higher education institutions, trade schools, and virtual learning environments. Initially launched as an open-source platform, openSIS transitioned to a cloud-native, API-driven model SaaS, offering enhanced scalability and integration capabilities. The system includes tools for student data management, communication, and academic tracking, aiming to support administrators, teachers, students, and parents.

Contents

History

OpenSIS was created by OS4ED, a company founded in January 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia, with the goal of leveraging technology to improve education management. Recognizing the challenges faced by schools with limited budgets, the company introduced openSIS as an open-source student information system designed to provide affordable and effective tools for managing student data.

The initial release gained widespread adoption due to its cost-effectiveness and flexibility, becoming a popular choice for educational institutions worldwide. It offered essential features for school administration, such as data management, attendance tracking, and grading, and allowed for customization to meet specific institutional needs.

In early 2020, openSIS transitioned from an open-source platform to a cloud-native, API-based solution, supported by sponsorship from Microsoft. This shift aimed to meet the increasing demands of scalability, security, and accessibility in modern education. The new version, openSIS2 as a SaaS, was built on Microsoft Azure, offering enhanced reliability and the ability to integrate with other educational tools.

Today, openSIS serves millions of students globally, continuing to evolve with a focus on operational efficiency and supporting educational institutions in data management and decision-making.

Features

School Information

Maintains key institutional data such as school addresses, calendars, grade levels, and contact information. It supports multiple academic sessions and campus setups, ensuring streamlined school administration.

School Information screen in openSIS Website Screenshots.svg
School Information screen in openSIS

Student Information

Comprehensive student profiles include demographics, academic records, family information, and emergency contacts. The system offers quick access to student data for effective communication and academic tracking.

Student Information screen in openSIS Website Screenshots (1).svg
Student Information screen in openSIS

Student Health

Tracks health records such as immunizations, allergies, and medical conditions. Includes tools for generating health compliance reports and notifying stakeholders about health-related requirements.

Student Health screen in openSIS Website Screenshots (2).svg
Student Health screen in openSIS

Staff Management

Centralizes staff data, including roles, qualifications, certifications, and schedules. The system supports payroll integration and performance tracking.

Staff Information screen in openSIS Website Screenshots (3).svg
Staff Information screen in openSIS

Scheduling

Provides flexible tools for creating master schedules, assigning courses, and managing classroom assignments. The platform supports conflict resolution to optimize student and teacher timetables.

Student scheduling for a course in openSIS Website Screenshots (4).svg
Student scheduling for a course in openSIS

Attendance

Automates attendance recording with customizable rules for excused absences, tardiness, and daily attendance tracking. Provides real-time insights and automated reporting for compliance purposes.

Attendance screen in openSIS Website Screenshots (5).svg
Attendance screen in openSIS

Grading

Offers robust grading tools, including weighted grades, transcripts, and report card generation. Teachers can enter grades, track performance trends, and share results with students and parents.

Transcript generated for a student in openSIS Transcript generated in openSIS.png
Transcript generated for a student in openSIS

Admissions and Applicant Processing

Streamlines the enrollment process, from online applications to acceptance and student onboarding. Tracks application statuses and generates reports for admissions trends.

Admissions dashboard screen in openSIS Website Screenshots (6).svg
Admissions dashboard screen in openSIS

Billing and Fees

Manages tuition, fees, and payments with detailed ledger tracking. The system supports online payment gateways and generates financial summaries.

Billing and fees dashboard screen in openSIS Website Screenshots (8).svg
Billing and fees dashboard screen in openSIS

Discipline Management

Logs disciplinary incidents and generates reports for trend analysis. Includes tools for notifying parents, creating corrective action plans, and monitoring student behavior over time.

Screen to add a referral and record a student's behavior in openSIS Website Screenshots (9).svg
Screen to add a referral and record a student's behavior in openSIS

Teacher Lesson Plan

Empowers teachers to create structured lesson plans linked to academic standards. Plans can be shared with peers and administrators for collaboration and review.

Screen to add a lesson plan in openSIS Website Screenshots (10).svg
Screen to add a lesson plan in openSIS

Multi-Channel Communication

Supports email, SMS, and in-app notifications for seamless communication among students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Includes templates for frequent updates like attendance alerts and grade reports.

Communication screen in openSIS Website Screenshots (11).svg
Communication screen in openSIS

LMS Integration

Seamlessly connects with Learning Management Systems, enabling synchronization of grades, assignments, and course materials. Supports API-based integrations for enhanced functionality.

Screen to get data from Moodle in openSIS Website Screenshots (12).svg
Screen to get data from Moodle in openSIS

Graduation Requirement and Progress/Degree Audit

Tracks student progress toward academic goals, identifying gaps in requirements. Generates automated reports to assist students and advisors in planning coursework.

Screen to set the graduation requirements in openSIS Website Screenshots (14).svg
Screen to set the graduation requirements in openSIS

District/Enterprise Features

Provides centralized control for multi-campus operations, offering unified reporting and coordination across schools. Supports district-wide standards and benchmarks.

Target Audience

openSIS is designed to cater to a broad spectrum of educational institutions, including K-12 schools, colleges, universities, trade schools, and virtual education providers. The platform’s versatility and scalability enable it to address the distinct needs of various educational settings:

openSIS supports administrators, teachers, and parents by offering features that streamline administrative tasks, improve communication, and foster engagement in the educational process.

Technology

openSIS is built using a microservices architecture, allowing for scalability, flexibility, and independent development of its features. The platform is hosted on Microsoft Azure, which provides high availability and global accessibility. By incorporating serverless computing and Azure SQL, openSIS achieves optimized performance and cost efficiency. The system follows Clean Architecture principles, ensuring a clear separation of business logic and infrastructure, which enhances maintainability. This cloud-based design ensures that openSIS remains secure, scalable, and responsive to the needs of educational institutions.

Technology used in openSIS Azure technology used in openSIS.png
Technology used in openSIS

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