Alabama Educators Lash Out at Problematic Data Program

Educators are slamming a student data program, saying that it’s not user friendly, loses information and is making keeping track of student records a nightmare.

The new iNow program, a Web-based student data program that keeps track of enrollment, grades and other information, was launched in many schools this year, writes Jim Cook at the Dothan Eagle.

However, districts throughout the state are experiencing difficulties with the program, resulting in problems getting enrollment figures correct and other difficulties. The company that makes iNow, STI, has said inadequate training and user error were the causes of the problems.

A recent poll by the Alabama Education Association found that 79 percent of the 1,842 educators who responded said iNow is not simple and efficient to use.

Seventy-six percent had little or no confidence in the program’s ability to maintain records.

Jim Wrye, an AEA spokesperson, said the difficulties with iNow could jeopardize school systems’ ability to meet a Sept. 1 deadline for reporting special education information to the federal government, and turning in enrollment information to the state.

Dawn Davis, a teacher at Montana Street Magnet School, said the program has a clunky user interface and is difficult to use.

“It’s just not as user friendly as the program we used in the past,” she said.

Houston County Schools implemented iNow last year. David Sewell, technology and data collections director for the county schools, said the school system worked out several bugs with the system last year, but problems remain, particularly in properly enrolling students. Sewell said the system has trouble in counting students who have transferred between school districts.

Asked by state school board Vice President Randy McKinney of Gulf Shores if they believe problems with the i-Now software can be resolved, retiring state Superintendent Joe Morton and Deputy Superintendent Craig Pouncey answered affirmatively, writes Bob Lowry at the Huntsville Times.

Representatives for I-Now’s parent company, Software Technology Inc., have previously said that the problem was exacerbated by high turnover as Huntsville City Schools grapple with $23 million in cuts.

Keith Ward, spokesman for the Huntsville school system, said this week that there were still some glitches being worked out with the system, but that the problems are “minor” ones.

“Overall, they’re doing OK,” Ward said.

However, Geraldine Tibbs, a spokeswoman for Madison County Schools, said the district last year did not have accurate enrollment numbers in the first several weeks of the school year because of problems with the program.

“We couldn’t enroll them and we couldn’t transfer them,” Tibbs said.

Pouncey said the company – Mobile-based Software Technology Inc. -  on Friday will provide at its expense to classroom teachers a desktop support reference guide for training.