# OpenSIS

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.

## 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.

### 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 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.

### Staff Management

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

### 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.

### 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.

### 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.

### 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.

### Billing and Fees

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

### 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.

### 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.

### 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.

### LMS Integration

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

### 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.

### 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:
* K-12 Schools: Used by public and private schools to manage student records, grades, attendance, and schedules. It supports compliance with state and local regulations while offering tools for parent-teacher communication.
* Colleges and Universities: Provides features for managing academic records, course schedules, grading, and accreditation reporting. The platform supports institutions of varying sizes.
* Trade Schools and Continuing Education: Serves vocational and career-focused programs with tools for scheduling, attendance tracking, and reporting specific to program needs.
* Virtual Education and Online Schools: Offers cloud-based access for remote data management, supporting student tracking and progress in online learning environments.
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.