Is Kentucky Considering Dropping Infinite Campus?

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION directing a comparative study of the STIDistrict and Infinite Campus information management systems.



WHEREAS, accurate data is critical for policy-making, budgetary planning, and program management and improvement; and



WHEREAS, an educational information management system should provide a seamless methodology for collecting the data needed by the local school district, the state, and the federal government; and



WHEREAS, an educational information management system should provide the highest levels of security for the data collected; and



WHEREAS, an educational information management system should generate timely data in a manner that is functional, efficient, and user-friendly and eliminates redundancy for all users of the system; and



WHEREAS, an educational information management system purchased for use in the Commonwealth should be cost-effective and include the training and other supports needed by system users; and



WHEREAS, selected pilot districts in Kentucky testing the Infinite Campus information management system have repeatedly expressed frustration utilizing Infinite Campus in comparison with their experience with the STIDistrict information management system;



NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein:



Section 1. Staff of the Legislative Research Commission shall conduct a study of the STIDistrict and the Infinite Campus information management systems in order to ascertain the relative merits and costs associated with implementing each system.



Section 2. The designated staff shall coordinate the collection of information from the Department of Education, local school districts, information management system vendors, and other sources necessary for completion of the study.



Section 3. At a minimum, the study report shall include:
(1) A comparison of the similarities and differences between the features and capabilities of the STIDistrict and Infinite Campus information management systems. This comparison shall specifically reference utility and efficiency in collecting data necessary for district, state, and federal program reporting;



(2) A statement of the total cost projections for the phase-in of the Infinite Campus, including the cost of training;



(3) A projection of the comparative costs for fully implementing the STIDistrict or the Infinite Campus information management systems with equivalent features;



(4) A list of which states use STIDistrict or Infinite Campus for information management;



(5) A summary of the perceived benefits and challenges of each system collected from a sampling of Kentucky users; and



(6) Recommendations for consideration by the Department of Education that relate to improving assistance to local districts in the implementation of contracted educational information management systems.



Section 4. The study shall be completed by October 1, 2009, with a written report presented to the Interim Joint Committee on Education by November 1, 2009.



Section 5. Provisions of this Resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the duties identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to designate a study completion date.



LINK: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/09RS/HC125/bill.doc