2015 MEDIA KIT
Company Profile Page 2 Solutions Pages 3 5 Services Pages 6 8 Company Mission Page 9 Company Timeline Page 10 eschoolplus Product Vision Page 11 IEPPLUS Product Vision Page 12 PerformancePLUS Product Vision Page 13 efinanceplus Product Vision Page 14 BusinessPLUS Product Vision Page 15 Media Contact and Connections Page 16 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS MEDIA KIT 1
COMPANY PROFILE A leading K-12 administrative software and technical service provider, SunGard K-12 Education develops solutions designed to help schools and school districts support student achievement and manage their operations. SunGard K-12 has more than 40 years of experience serving schools and school districts. The significant milestones of the company s long history are highlighted in PAGE 12 of this media kit. Today, one of every six public school students in the United States is supported by SunGard K-12 software solutions. SunGard K-12 s customers span the spectrum from individual schools and school districts with fewer than 1,000 students to larger districts of more than 100,000 students; multi-district consortiums; and statewide implementations in Arkansas, Delaware, and New Hampshire. The company s software systems and professional services serve more than 8 million students in approximately 1,400 school districts. SunGard K-12 is based in Bethlehem, Pa. More than 400 SunGard K-12 employees work at locations across the United States, including business offices in Chico, Calif.; Long Island, N.Y.; Mechanicsburg, Pa.; and Shelton, Conn. SunGard K-12 is one of three business units of SunGard Inc. SunGard Inc. is one of the world s leading financial software companies, with annual revenue of $2.8 billion. The company provides solutions for financial services, the public sector, and education. SunGard software is delivered via Software as a Service ( SaaS ), in the cloud and on premises, surrounded by an extensive suite of service offerings. Through the depth and breadth of its solution portfolio, global capabilities, and domain expertise, the company is uniquely capable of supporting virtually every type of financial organization, including the largest and most complex institutions in the world. SunGard s approximately 13,000 employees proudly serve approximately 14,000 customers in more than 100 countries, bringing fresh ideas and inventive solutions to help customers adapt and thrive. 2
SOLUTIONS & SERVICES SunGard K-12 s award-winning PLUS 360 solution is a single integrated suite of software applications for the management of student information, assessment and curriculum, special education, and financial and human resources. The suite which provides district staff with anytime, anywhere access to important district information can be deployed to work together or implemented as stand-alone systems to help meet educational goals and requirements. Many school districts rely on the full suite of PLUS 360 applications. They do so because the PLUS 360 solution: Eliminates the limitations of multiple, disparate applications Is 100-percent web-based for easy deployment Provides business intelligence tools for data-driven decision making Features smart notifications, which free staff from digging through the data to find insights Offers real-time performance dashboards to monitor mission-critical factors Complies with the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) Features a Microsoft operating environment for ease of implementation and maintenance PLUS 360 applications have been recognized for excellence in a variety of awards programs, including the District Administration Readers Choice Top 100 Products, ComputED Gazette s Best Educational Software Awards and Education Software Review Awards programs, and eschool News Readers Choice Awards program. The software also was a finalist in the SIIA CODiE Awards and Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence. 3
SOLUTIONS The PLUS 360 solutions include: eschoolplus Student Information Management Solution The next-generation student information system, eschoolplus is a forward-thinking solution for student information management that helps educators directly and positively impact student achievement. With HTML5 as its core technology, eschoolplus offers the same application and user experience across any browser and choice of PC, Mac, Chromebook notebook computer, and ipad or other tablet. eschoolplus sets an industry standard for usability with features including responsive design, advanced navigation tools, and mobile-first design concepts. It also offers at-a-glance insights that promote collaboration between administrators, teachers, parents, and students. For more information about eschoolplus, please see the product vision on PAGE 11 of this media kit. IEPPLUS Special Education Management Solution IEPPLUS allows district staff to efficiently manage the entire special education process from referral, evaluation, and IEP development to maintaining historical information and ensuring compliance with IDEA regulations. Intuitive web-based forms increase the speed and ease of creating IEPs. The software solution alleviates administrative burdens and helps improve the accuracy of reporting with automated compliance validation and automated notifications to alert district staff of critical information or actions needed. For more information about IEPPLUS, please see the product vision on PAGE 12 of this media kit. PerformancePLUS Assessment and Curriculum Management Solution PerformancePLUS is a web-based, district-wide system that assists educators with tracking and analyzing student performance against state standards, mapping and managing curriculum, as well as building and administering local online benchmark assessments. It arms educators with information to make data-driven decisions that enhance instruction and increase both individual student achievement and overall district achievement. For more information about PerformancePLUS, please see the product vision on PAGE 13 of this media kit. SOLUTIONS & SERVICES 4
SOLUTIONS efinanceplus Finance and Human Resources Management Solution efinanceplus helps manage critical financial, procurement, payroll, and personnel functions. The solution features automated workflows and notifications to increase the efficiency of the accounting, procurement, human resources, and payroll functions. It is designed for quick implementation and provides district administrators with insights into budgetary performance, employee statistics, substantial purchases, and much more. efinanceplus also offers web-based self-service options for employees, vendors, and job applicants so that districts can operate more efficiently and do more with less. For more information about efinanceplus, please see the product vision on PAGE 14 of this media kit. BusinessPLUS Finance and Human Resources Management Solution BusinessPLUS helps manage critical financial, procurement, payroll, and personnel functions. The solution can be tailored to a school district s unique needs and processes. Accounting, procurement, human resources, and payroll functions are easily managed through customizable workflows and notifications. A dashboard provides insights into budgetary performance, employee statistics, substantial purchases, and much more. BusinessPLUS also offers web-based self-service options for employees, vendors, and job applicants so that districts can operate more efficiently and do more with less. For more information about BusinessPLUS, please see the product vision on PAGE 15 of this media kit. SOLUTIONS & SERVICES 5
SERVICES CUSTOMER SUPPORT A customer-focused organization, SunGard K-12 provides its customers with strong support via a toll-free telephone line and its customer support website. Customers have consistently given the company s customer support representatives high ratings on the service they provide. In 2014, SunGard K-12 launched an effort to develop a formal certification program for support team members who comprise Level One Customer Support, which is the company s front line of support for school districts. As a result, a comprehensive curriculum of study has been developed that sets a high standard for excellence for SunGard K-12 s support team members. For a company committed to distinction in customer service, the program provides an opportunity to demonstrate the team s expertise to SunGard K-12 s customers. In 2015, the Customer Support Organization was recognized with a Stevie Award for Sales and Customer Service, an international contest that recognizes excellence and innovation in customer service. ENGINEERING & MANAGED SERVICES SunGard K-12 provides a complete range of engineering services designed to keep a district s software applications running. The company provides all hardware (configuration, procurement, and installation), operating systems, database software, system training, and technical support. SunGard K-12 s managed services can be packaged to fit a school district s specific needs. Optional services include: Software as a Service (SaaS) SaaS offers districts the security of knowing that they have complete control over their data and can access the applications from anywhere, at any time over the Internet. Application Backup Service Application Backup Service provides nightly backup of SunGard K-12 software applications and databases. In the event of a disaster at the district, this service allows the district to temporarily run its component systems remotely via the Internet from a SunGard K-12 Data Center. Remote Services Administration Service Through this optional service, SunGard K-12 will assume responsibility for administrative services for a district. SOLUTIONS & SERVICES 6
SERVICES PROFESSIONAL SERVICES In contrast to today s out-of-the-box mentality, SunGard K-12 is known for its hands-on approach to professional services. The company is dedicated to its customers success and offers a broad range of professional services that cater to each school district s unique needs and goals. The SunGard K-12 Professional Services team has been implementing K-12 software solutions for more than 30 years. The skilled consultants have used this experience to construct a comprehensive and effective methodology that guides organizations through the implementation including planning, installation, conversions, and training in an ordered, logical manner based on best practices. These services include: Project Management The project manager will be the district s point of contact during the implementation, with responsibility for coordinating the project and providing guidance for districts and the project team members. Training SunGard K-12 offers a variety of training formats to facilitate knowledge transfer. This includes on-site consulting, live one-on-one web-based training, live web-based multi-district training, and elearning self-paced study. Throughout the year, SunGard K-12 also offers complimentary FastTRACK sessions, which support SunGard K-12 customers in developing advanced skills and help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their processes. Data Conversions Consultants work with school districts as they begin conversion, offering guidance through the entire process. SOLUTIONS & SERVICES 7
SERVICES Other optional services include: Data Verification Services A consultant can lead the effort to identify, research, and resolve data inconsistencies. Go-Live Support Services A consultant will be onsite for the major milestones or post-go-live implementation activities. Business Process Review During a Business Process Review, a consultant will review current business processes and offer recommendations on adjusting processes and software to maximize efficiency and add value. Risk Mitigation Service A consultant will work with districts to identify key activities that need to be documented and assist with that documentation, develop plans for sharing knowledge, and cross-train team members. Turnkey Implementation Service For school districts that lack the time or available resources to dedicate to implementation, SunGard K-12 will manage setup, training, and confirmation activities associated with the implementation of the PLUS 360 solutions. One-on-One Coaching To support districts going through transition, senior support agents, who understand the districts unique needs and software environment, support new users in becoming proficient with the PLUS 360 solutions. Custom Software Enhancement Requests Custom programming is available as an optional service for school districts that have unique requirements. SOLUTIONS & SERVICES 8
COMPANY MISSION VISION Our solutions connect teachers, students, parents, and school district administration to advance student achievement through collaboration, innovative technology, and operational excellence. By uniting schools, parents, and students as partners in the pursuit of academic achievement, SunGard K-12 Education believes we can support U.S. children in being the most academically successful students in all of the world. Our technology systems promote 360-degree collaboration by connecting schools and communities with meaningful, real-time data and systems that foster collaboration and partnership anytime, anywhere as a normal part of their daily routine. VALUES Our customers are our reason for being and our employees enable us to provide our products and services to our customers. Therefore, we will strive to: Ensure our customers receive exceptional products and services Treat one another with respect and cooperate in a positive manner Communicate honestly and professionally with peers, subordinates, and management Be an outstanding citizen in the communities we serve Emphasize and strive for superior performance in creativity, productivity, and quality Take pride in our work and achievements Encourage and reward continuous learning and self improvement Provide excellent career opportunities for our employees Always make the extra effort as we pursue of our mission, vision, and values 9
COMPANY HISTORY BI-TECH Founded Released Integrated Financial Accounting System (IFAS) (HP 3000-based application) 1972 1975 1970s PENTAMATION 1969 Founded 1972 Introduced Systems 11: Student & Financials (Digital Equipment PDP-based application) First K-12 Customer (IBM mainframe application) Officially Incorporated as Bi-Tech Software Inc. 1981 1980s 1984 Released Leadership Series: Student & Financials (Digital Equipment VAX-based applications) Released IFAS: Financials (UNIX-based application) 1989 1990 Released Open Series: Financials (UNIX-based application) First K-12 Customer 1992 Released Open Series: Student (UNIX-based application) Acquired by SunGard Data Systems, became SunGard Bi-Tech 1994 1995 1990s Released Graphical IFAS: Financials (Windows-based application) Introduced IFAS 7i (Web-based application) 1996 1997 2001 First Software as a Service (SaaS) Customer Acquired by SunGard Data Systems, became SunGard Pentamation First Software as a Service (SaaS) Customer 1997 1999 2001 Released Graphical Open Series: Student & Financials (Windows-based applications) Founding Member of Schools Interoperability Framework Association (SIF) Introduced IEPPLUS: Special Education (Windows-based application) Migrated IFAS 7i to SQL Server 2003 UNIX and Windows Server supported 2000s 2003 Released eschoolplus: Student (Web-based application) Released IEPPLUS: Special Education (Web-based application) Released FinancePLUS: Financials (Enhanced Windows-based application) Merged, became SunGard Public Sector 2006 Released efinanceplus: Financials (Web-based application) Released BusinessPLUS: Financials (Enhanced Web-based application) 2008 2009 2011 Introduced our mobile apps! 2013 2014 2015 Introduced PerformancePLUS: Assessment & Curriculum (Cloud-based application) Renamed SunGard K-12 Education eschoolplus Admin App RELEASES eschoolplus Family App efinanceplus (HTML 5-based application) eschoolplus (HTML 5-based application) IEPPLUS (HTML 5-based application) 10
PRODUCT VISION To support success in every student, schools need a system capable of fostering meaningful and productive education environments. As a student information system, eschoolplus provides educators with organized, coherent, and accessible data capable of spanning a student s entire education experience from start to finish. eschoolplus serves as the foundation for the use and sharing of consequential data from the classroom to the community. This powerful tool: Maintains comprehensive student information that is both accurate and secure Provides actionable insights drawn straight from student data Enables educators to be more effective and efficient in their respective roles Works intuitively to help support successful student futures SunGard K-12 Education is dedicated to ensure that eschoolplus: Is a single, integrated system with a secure, centralized, real-time student information database Is intuitive to use by all district personnel to manage day-to-day processes and easily access the student information they need, when they need it Enables district and school leaders to be more effective through the use of real-time dashboards and data analysis tools that provide them with key student, building, or district-wide performance indicators and program statuses, allowing them to focus on efforts on data-driven action plans Equips teachers with tools and information to help them be more effective by providing an integrated classroom management system for grading, attendance, discipline, performance analysis, and parent communication Engages parents in a positive manner via our online Home Access Center, allowing parents to connect with the classroom and providing them relevant and timely information to support and direct their children Provides all district personnel with a truly integrated and highly intuitive web-based reporting tool, allowing for the creation of on-demand adhoc queries and reports, accurately providing and meeting regulatory reporting on a timely basis Uses industry standards to seamlessly integrate real-time student data with other district applications Leverages web-based development technologies and hardware operating environments and provides low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by being easy to implement, deploy, and support Is continually updated and enhanced to meet the changing needs of K-12 schools By enabling advanced educational approaches through an understanding of contemporary pedagogy and emerging up-and-coming technologies, eschoolplus is a student information system equipped for everything you need to do today and everything your students need for tomorrow. 11
IEPPLUS Special Education Management System PRODUCT VISION To support success in every student, schools need a system capable of organizing and managing supportive plans and services for students with special needs. IEPPLUS brings your Individualized Education Program team together by centralizing the tools, documents, and data necessary to improve individual student achievement and achieve IDEA compliance. This powerful tool: Allows for fast and efficient data entry through IDEA-compliant web forms Incorporates a robust historical data management system for a complete student profile Delivers timely warnings and alerts to help educators stay organized and compliant Facilitates team collaboration and organization for holistic support of student achievement Provides both administrator and user reporting for comprehensive data analysis Integrates with the full PLUS 360 suite to provide a single point of contact for relevant data SunGard K-12 Education is dedicated to ensure that IEPPLUS: Is a single, integrated system with a secure, centralized, real-time student information database Is backed by industry-best professional development adapted to each school s specific goals Equips the IEP team and administrators with tools and information to help them become more efficient, effective, and responsive educators Facilitates IDEA compliance through regulatory forms and monitoring features and accurately generates regulatory reporting data on a timely basis Provides district personnel with a truly integrated and intuitive web based reporting tool for easy interpretation of data By providing collaborative, relevant, and potent student information, IEPPLUS is a highly functional special education information system proven to enhance the education of students with special needs and support success in your students and your district. Uses industry standards to seamlessly integrate real-time student data with other PLUS 360 applications Utilizes proven, reliable, and effective programming and hardware development techniques and provides low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by being easy to implement, deploy, and support Is continually updated and enhanced to meet the changing needs of K-12 schools 12
PerformancePLUS Assessment and Curriculum Management System PRODUCT VISION To support success in every student, schools need a system capable of fostering meaningful and productive education environments. PerformancePLUS arms educators with information to make data-driven decisions that enhance instruction and increase both individual student achievement as well as overall district achievement. This powerful tool: Supplies easily sortable data to show how assessment and curriculum data relate to one another Empowers educators to build a collaborative, data-informed environment Supplies a longitudinal database for long-range student performance analysis Automates repetitive tasks to improve teacher efficiency Provides actionable insights for standards-based curriculum planning and reporting Integrates with the full PLUS 360 suite to provide a single point of contact for educational data SunGard K-12 Education is dedicated to ensure that PerformancePLUS: Is a single, integrated system with a secure, centralized, real-time student information database Is backed by industry-best professional development adapted to each school s specific goals Equips teachers and administrators with tools and information to help them become more efficient, effective, and responsive educators Facilitates local benchmark creation and review, providing up-to-date standards for assessment and curriculum review Provides all district personnel with a truly integrated and intuitive web based reporting tool, allowing for the creation of on-demand queries and reports, accurately providing and meeting regulatory reporting on a timely basis With rapid deployment and intuitive reporting and analysis, PerformancePLUS is a solution proven to provide a holistic view of assessment and curriculum to support success in your students and your district. Uses industry standards to seamlessly integrate real-time student data with other district applications Utilizes proven, reliable, and effective programming and hardware development techniques and provides low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by being easy to implement, deploy, and support Is continually updated and enhanced to meet the changing needs of K-12 schools 13
efinanceplus Finance and Human Resources Management System PRODUCT VISION To support success in every student, schools need a system capable of fostering meaningful and productive financial and human resources environments. efinanceplus delivers powerful, reliable, and relevant fiscal and personnel information to administrators, district staff, and board members to help manage student educational resources and make data-driven decisions that have a high impact on district success. This powerful tool: Maintains comprehensive financial and human resources information that is both accurate and secure Provides actionable insights drawn from fiscal and personnel data Enables district staff to be more effective and efficient in their respective roles Offers an intuitive environment that supports student success SunGard K-12 Education is dedicated to ensure that efinanceplus: Is a single, integrated system with a secure, centralized, real-time financial information database Supports intuitive access to financial information by district personnel to manage day-to-day processes and easily access information they need, when they need it Expedites district staff communication and processing through automated workflow functionality Enables district and school leaders to be more effective through the use of real-time dashboards and data analysis tools that provide them with building or district-wide key performance indicators, allowing them to focus efforts on data-driven action plans Provides all district personnel with a truly integrated and intuitive web based reporting tool, allowing for the creation of on-demand queries and reports, accurately providing and meeting regulatory reporting on a timely basis A web-based finance and human resources management system with deep functionality, efinanceplus provides administrators and staff with data to make informed decisions that enhance the fiscal management of K-12 schools. Is backed by industry-best professional development adapted to each school s specific goals Uses industry standards to seamlessly integrate real-time financial data with other district applications Leverages web-based development technologies and hardware operating environments and provides low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by being easy to implement, deploy, and support Is continually updated and enhanced to meet the changing needs of K-12 schools 14
BusinessPLUS Finance and Human Resources Management System PRODUCT VISION To support success in every student, schools need a system capable of fostering meaningful and productive financial and human resources environments. BusinessPLUS is a flexible, powerful, and integrated financial and human resources solution for administrators, district staff, and board members allowing them to become more efficient and helping them manage student educational resources for data-driven decisions that have a high impact on district success. This powerful solution: Maintains comprehensive financial and human resources information that is both accurate and secure Provides actionable insights drawn from fiscal and personnel data Enables district staff to be more effective and efficient in their roles Offers an intuitive environment that supports student success SunGard K-12 Education is dedicated to ensure that BusinessPLUS: Is a single, integrated system with a secure, centralized, real-time financial information database Supports intuitive access to financial information by district personnel to manage day-to-day processes and easily access information they need, when they need it Expedites district staff communication and processing through automated workflow functionality Enables district and school leaders to be more effective through the use of real-time dashboards and data analysis tools that provide them with building or district-wide key performance indicators, allowing them to focus efforts on data-driven action plans Highly configurable and deeply functional, BusinessPLUS is a financial and human resources solution powerful enough to match the way administrators and staff members work towards enhancing the fiscal management of K-12 schools. Provides all district personnel with a truly integrated and intuitive web based reporting tool, allowing for the creation of on-demand queries and reports, accurately providing and meeting regulatory reporting on a timely basis Is backed by industry-best professional development adapted to each school s specific goals Uses industry standards to seamlessly integrate real-time financial data with other district applications Leverages web-based development technologies and hardware operating environments and provides low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by being easy to implement, deploy, and support Is continually updated and enhanced to meet the changing needs of K-12 schools 15
CONTACT MEDIA CONTACT Lori F. Hixon Media Relations 610.849.7274 lori.hixon@sungardps.com VISIT US AT: sungardk12.com sungardk12.com/blog @sungardk12 facebook.com/sungardk12 youtube.com/sungardk12education CONNECT WITH US SunGard K-12 Education has been helping districts successfully manage education for more than 40 years. Call us today for more information: 866-905-8989 Student Information Management Assessment and Curriculum Management Finance and Human Resources Management Special Education Management 2015 SunGard K-12 Education SunGard, the SunGard logo, eschoolplus, PerformancePLUS, IEPPLUS, BusinessPLUS, efinanceplus, and PLUS 360 are trademarks or registered trademarks of SunGard Data Systems Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. 16
THE TEAM Many SunGard K-12 executives and staff are former K-12 employees, including education technologists, superintendents, business managers, principals, and teachers. They are dedicated to providing innovative technology and services that are making a difference in the lives of students every day. SunGard K-12 s Leadership Team includes: CHRIS EVERLETH Vice President of Development Chris Everleth is vice president of development at SunGard K-12 Education and a member of the company s Leadership Team. In this role, Everleth is responsible for product development, regulatory reporting, custom programming, and technical support for the PLUS 360 software solutions. He guides SunGard K-12 s development teams as they take advantage of the latest technologies to offer software solutions that enhance the efficiency and support the excellence of schools and school districts. Since joining SunGard K-12 Education in 1989, Everleth has held a variety of programming and management positions in systems design and development, custom programming, and technical customer services. He earned a bachelor s degree at Ursinus College and a master s degree in information systems from DeSales University.