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A Career Tech School Modernizes Operations to Increase Revenue
A Unique School Requires a Unique Solution
Campus Cafe strikes the balance between features and value.
The Adult & Continuing Education Center at York County School of Technology is a unique institution that serves two student populations: Adult students enrolled in full-time, short-term career programs and high school students studying technical fields.
As the school looked to scale its growth, the Adult & Continuing Education Center needed a holistic, cradle-to-grave student information system at a reasonable price.
Adult & Continuing Education Center: A Snapshot
Location | York, PA |
|---|---|
School Type | Adult Education |
Student Pop. | Approx 1,700 students |
Credit Types | Clock-hour and credit-based programs |
Former System | ClassMate |
LMS Integration | Schoology |
The Challenge
Unreliable Data and Time-Consuming Manual Processes
The Adult & Continuing Education Center needed a new approach to managing its post-secondary student data. IT Director Kirk Schlotzhauer, who recently retired, says the school’s legacy SIS had many problems.
Legacy SIS Problems
Not User-Friendly
Difficulties with the system resulted in missing or inaccurate data, and technical support was non-existent.
No Centralized Data Repository
Users struggled to find information and coordinate projects, leading to redundant data scattered across spreadsheets, files and documents.
Antiquated Technology
Onsite servers did not allow users to log in from mobile devices or personal computers, which was a major drawback post-pandemic.
Time-Consuming Tasks
Because students had to pay tuition and fees in person, staff had to chase down students for payments and create paper receipts.
“It offers everything from admissions to enrollment, student account management, financial aid, attendance tracking and grading. It’s cradle to grave.“
Kirk Schlotzhauer
IT Director
The Solution
An SIS to Track the Entire Student Lifecycle
The administrators at York Tech often wear many hats and have intersecting responsibilities. The key stakeholders – leaders, staff, faculty and students – needed a modern, integrated system to maintain accurate student records, facilitate better data management and streamline day-to-day operations.
Central Repository
One location for data on enrollment, course registration, completion, withdrawals, etc.
Online Payments
A convenient way for students to pay tuition and fees online.
Reporting
Quickly pull accurate data for federal and state agency compliance reports.
Accounting and Billing
Real-time data on students’ tuition, fees and payments.
Student Portal
An online communication hub for students to access their information.
Digital Attendance
Track students enrolled in clock-hour and credit-based programs.
Cloud-Based System
Sensitive information is secure and all users have access from any device.
The Results
Increased Revenue, Data Transparency and a Focus on Students
Since launching Campus Cafe, Schlotzhauer says the system is easy to navigate and improves data accuracy and transparency. Importantly, he says the system is reliable and consistent.
He shares three specific examples of how Campus Cafe has streamlined York Tech’s day-to-day operations so staff can better serve students.
1. Electronic Payments Increase Revenue
Campus Cafe integrated the school’s payment and collection system with Authorize.net, an electronic payment application. Now students can pay bills online and the business office automates billing and payment collection.
The integration has streamlined financial operations and reduced staff workload. And there’s been an unexpected benefit: The school’s revenue is up.
“This last year, I think we’re setting a record for revenue, and a lot of it is because it’s just simplicity. We’re not chasing down money from students.”
– Kirk Schlotzhauer, IT Director
2. Data Transparency Reduces Manual Work
Campus Cafe’s cloud-based system is a single source of truth for student data, so administrators, faculty and students stay connected from initial enrollment through program completion.
Now everyone is better equipped to monitor students’ progress, share information across departments, and receive important notifications on enrollment changes and status updates.
“Campus Cafe is easy to use and maintains accurate student data for all of our post-secondary students.”
– Kirk Schlotzhauer, IT Director
3. Digitized Attendance Helps Struggling Students
Career and trade schools like York Tech often need to track students’ hours for federal and state agencies. Schlotzhauer says Campus Cafe stands out because it can accommodate digital attendance for both clock-hour and credit-based programs.
Perhaps most importantly, digitized attendance makes it easier to track students. Faculty and administrators can quickly see which students are falling below the attendance metrics of where they should be.
For example, if an instructor submits a student assistance plan for a struggling student in Campus Cafe, administrators receive a notification. Everyone stays in the loop so students don’t fall behind.
“Campus Cafe really has all the modules in there that we need. They are streamlined and applicable to us as a small, clock-hour school.“
Kirk Schlotzhauer
IT Director
