Rhode Island Department of Education Chooses Skyward as a Preferred Vendor

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) has selected Skyward, Inc., K-12 school administrative software provider, as a preferred vendor for Rhode Island school districts.

By adding Skyward to the Rhode Island Master Price Agreement No. 469 – Multi-District Student Information System, Rhode Island school districts and the state may purchase Skyward software without a request for proposal for a new student information system (SIS). RIDE began reviewing multiple SIS vendors in early 2013, and chose Skyward to satisfy requirements for its multi-vendor system.

Central Falls School District and Pawtucket School Department are two of the first Rhode Island districts to select Skyward as an SIS vendor.

“The Central Falls School District comprises six schools and more than 2,600 students, with a 30 to 40 percent mobility rate between districts,” said Mike St. Jean, assistant superintendent at Central Falls School District. “Skyward provides the responsive, one-stop system we need to ensure data accuracy between districts. Currently, we use five different systems to satisfy the district’s diverse operations. Skyward streamlines those data systems down to only one, and offers a clean and accessible interface on any device. There is a lot for our district to grow into with this SIS, making it a great immediate and long-term investment.”

St. Jean said the Central Falls School District is eager to have a system in place that will provide full access to student data for parents and students. Pawtucket School Department looks forward to providing its teachers and support staff with the necessary tools to inform instruction and meet the needs of its students.

“Pawtucket School Department recognizes that an all-inclusive system will help teachers target individual needs of students,” said Hersh Cristino, Pawtucket School Department Chief Information and Innovation Officer. “Skyward will enable teachers to easily plot student achievements and provide feedback to students and parents. The system’s real-time data reporting features, Response to Intervention capabilities and parent portals will provide us with the necessary tools to move our students even further.”

Skyward offers a comprehensive web-based system that integrates attendance, grading, scheduling, special education, discipline and demographic information in one centralized system.