Infinite Campus expands CCSD parent access to student information

The online system that Clark County families use to track student progress is being replaced this summer with a program that allows access to a broader spectrum of information, which is hinted at by its name, Infinite Campus.

Unlike the ParentLink program, Infinite Campus allows families to see student schedules, assignments, test and assignment scores, completed credits, attendance records, learning plans, to-do lists and notices available in real-time and translated into multiple languages, said Justin White, a Clark County School District coordinator of data services, in a presentation to the School Board on Wednesday.

One of the greatest benefits will be to school leaders, who for the first time will have live snapshots of their school as a whole and be able to see how many students are on track, behind or not showing in the system, meaning they’re not coming to school but aren’t recorded as having transferred elsewhere.

“Previously, the only way principals could see all that was to literally print out every student transcript and tabulate credits for every kid in their school,” said White, adding that “data is great but it needs to inform action.”

The program also allows high school leaders to drill down and identify the students who are behind in credits and determine whether most credit-deficient students are behind in similar courses. The student list can be sent to counselors who can put individuals in credit-recovery courses or boot camps for high school exit exams, he said.

“This is outstanding, sitting here as a former educator and a parent,” said School Board member Stavan Corbett of the new program.

But the system needs to be parent-focused as well, and feedback needs to come not just from school staff, as planned, but from parents throughout the fall semesters, said board member Carolyn Edwards.

“You also said this is going to be seamless. I’m not so sure,” said Edwards, noting how students will have access at the beginning of September and parents won’t have their own log-ins until the end of September. “That’s a huge problem. That’s a huge gap.”

District officials said teachers are supposed to inform parents directly if their children have failing grades. That might be the policy but not the reality, said Edwards, speaking from her experience as a parent and having heard from other parents. Board member Deanna Wright agreed that parent access needs to occur sooner.

Edwards praised the new system for allowing school leaders to track student groups closely, but said parents also need to see clearly which group includes their child — with those who are on track or those who lag behind. Parents are an asset in improving student performance, Edwards said.

“Parents can drive kids,” she said.

Contact Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279. Find him on Twitter: @TrevonMilliard.