Think E-Rate Isn’t for You? Here’s What Schools Need to Know

When it comes to E-Rate funding, many private and faith-based schools assume the program is out of reach or too complicated to bother with. Over the years, we’ve heard a lot of myths, from “E-Rate is just for public schools” to “The paperwork is overwhelming,” and even “It’s not worth the time for what we’d save.”

The truth? E-Rate is one of the most underutilized resources for private schools. With the right support, the process is much simpler than most expect. Schools working with FACTS have saved thousands of dollars a year on their internet and technology bills, often with less effort than they imagined.

Let’s break down some of the most common E-Rate myths and share what you really need to know to take advantage of this valuable program.

Myth #1: “E-Rate is only for public schools.”

Fact: Most non-profit private, parochial, and faith-based schools qualify for E-Rate. If your school is non-profit and serves K–12 students, you’re likely eligible for valuable discounts.

Myth #2: “The application is too complicated and takes too much time.”

Fact: The process can be complex, but with an experienced partner handling the paperwork and deadlines, schools report significant time savings and much less stress.

Myth #3: “The savings aren’t worth it.”

Fact: Schools working with FACTS have saved an average of $3,000 per year. These funds can be redirected to classrooms, programs, and student needs.

Myth #4: “We missed the deadline, so we’re out of luck.”

Fact: E-Rate is an annual program. There is always another opportunity to apply, and it is never too late to start planning for next year.

Myth #5: “If we accept E-Rate, we’ll have to follow a lot of new rules.”

Fact: E-Rate requirements are clear and manageable, especially with support. FACTS guides schools through compliance so you can participate with confidence.

Ready to see what’s possible for your school?
Learn more about how E-Rate works and see how much your school could save this year.

The newly signed Federal Tax-Credit Scholarship Program, originally introduced as the Educational Choice for Children Act, marks a major step forward for school choice. For scholarship granting organizations (SGOs), this legislation opens the door to expanding access to K–12 private education through donor-funded scholarships. But with that opportunity comes increased responsibility.

SGOs are tasked with growing their operations, managing more applications, and ensuring full compliance with state and federal requirements. It’s a big lift, and FACTS is here to help you carry it.

FACTS already supports more than 120 SGOs, including many participating in state-based programs. We understand the day-to-day realities SGOs face: limited staff, complex eligibility rules, strict timelines, and increasing expectations from donors and oversight agencies.

Our Application Builder & Eligibility Verification tool can help you manage application intake, verify eligibility, prioritize awards, track compliance, and keep families informed all within one secure, customizable system.

Your organization might manage multiple scholarship programs simultaneously, each with different eligibility criteria, award levels, and reporting requirements. That’s why our tools are flexible and easy to configure. You’re in control of your own process.

The experience starts with a white-labeled application portal that reflects your branding. Families can apply online using any device, upload required documentation, and receive real-time updates on their application status. Meanwhile, your staff has full visibility and control over each step in the process.

If your programs require more advanced verification, FACTS supports secure document collection, IRS and Ed-Fi income validation, and manual review workflows. You can customize award logic, implement prioritization rules, and manage waitlists as needed.

FACTS helps SGOs handle the entire process, from start to finish. Our system makes it easy to:

• Accept and organize applications by program
• Collect and verify tax forms, IEPs, and other documentation
• Apply your rules for award prioritization and eligibility
• Assign and track awards in line with your scholarship structure
• Track award offers and waitlists
• Send decision letters and updates automatically
• Allow families to accept awards through the portal
• Monitor scholarship distribution by region, school, or income level
• Prepare reports for auditors, boards, and regulators

You work hard to make the scholarship process accessible, and we do too. FACTS provides U.S.-based multilingual family support by phone, email, or text. Most families reach a live agent in under two minutes. Automated status updates through the family portal help reduce confusion and ensure families stay informed at every step.

SGOs are navigating increased scrutiny and evolving policy. FACTS helps you stay ahead with a platform backed by Nelnet’s enterprise-level infrastructure. You get the peace of mind that comes with robust data security, fraud prevention, and tools designed to meet changing state and federal expectations.

We also provide training and guidance for your team, so you can adjust quickly when new requirements emerge.

SGOs are no longer just pass-through organizations. You are essential connectors between donors, families, schools, and policy. The systems you use reflect your values and determine your ability to scale with integrity and impact.

FACTS is proud to partner with SGOs ready to lead, not just comply. We are here to support your mission, help you grow, and equip you with tools that make scholarship operations stronger and more sustainable.

If your SGO is preparing to participate in the Federal Education Tax Credit Program or manage existing scholarship programs across multiple states, let’s connect. FACTS can help you reduce administrative burden, improve the family experience, and ensure you are set up to grow.

Ready to explore how FACTS can support your SGO? Start the conversation here.

When schools invest in technology, they’re not just buying software. They’re investing in the people behind it. That’s why great customer service isn’t just nice-to-have; it’s essential.

At a recent NBOA Goldmine event, we explored what truly exceptional customer service looks like in the K–12 space. Here are some key takeaways to help you evaluate whether your school is getting the support it deserves.

Access to Real People Matters

Great service begins with being able to reach real people quickly. Whether it’s a dedicated account manager or a team of in-house experts, you should know who to contact and how. A generic support email or ticket system isn’t enough, especially when time-sensitive issues arise.

Ask yourself: Can anyone on your team reach out for help, or is support limited to just one or two users? The best providers make support accessible to everyone who uses the platform, not just administrators, but teachers, business office staff, and others who rely on it daily.

Support That Understands Your School

When you call your provider looking for support, does the system recognize who you are and route you to the right person? Can you get help via phone, email, or chat? And most importantly, are you speaking with someone who understands K–12 schools, not just general tech support?

Great customer service means working with people who understand your workflows, your calendar, and your challenges, especially in high-stakes areas like tuition, financial aid, and enrollment. It’s not just about solving issues but about doing so with context.

Help That Extends to Families

Customer service shouldn’t stop at your staff; it should support your families, too. When parents have questions, having a provider that offers direct support can take a major burden off your school. Whether it’s a dedicated helpline, online resources, or a knowledgeable support team, access to real help makes a difference.

When families can get timely, helpful answers, especially from someone outside your already-busy office, it positions your school as responsive and invested in their experience. Showing families that they’re supported goes a long way in building trust and long-term connection.

Training That Doesn’t Drain Your Team

Ongoing training and free digital resources like on-demand webinars and training libraries should be part of the package. When new staff join, they should be able to get up to speed without a heavy lift from your team.

Self-service options, easy-to-navigate help centers, and timely onboarding support are all signs that a provider values your time and your success.

A Reflection of Values

Customer service reflects a company’s values. Are they investing in education? Are they listening to school feedback? Are their leaders showing up at industry events and engaging with users? Showing up to events and engaging with the education community shows that your provider is investing in the people that are a part of the industry, not just trying to sell to them.

These are just a few signs of a service-oriented company one that puts people before profits. Want to see if you’re really getting great customer service? We’ve created a helpful checklist to help you evaluate your current provider and cut through the buzzwords.

Your School’s Data Ecosystem

Schools generate a lot of data, everything from academic performance and enrollment patterns to financial records. While this amount of data can sometimes feel overwhelming, structured and well-organized data can be an incredibly powerful tool. With the right analytics platforms, data warehouses, and predictive models, you can gain deeper insights and make smarter decisions.

While every school’s setup looks different, a modern data setup often includes a centralized data warehouse (like Snowflake or BigQuery), ETL tools (such as Apache Airflow or dbt), and API integrations that bring in data from your SIS, LMS, and financial systems.

Let’s take a closer look at what types of insights a setup like this can offer.

Enrollment Analytics

Each enrollment cycle gives schools valuable data about both new and returning students. This information helps track trends over time and gives you a better picture of your funnel efficiency and how effective your retention efforts are.

With a well-integrated data framework, your school can:

• See how engagement efforts connect to retention rates through regression models
• Pinpoint where families drop out of the admissions process using funnel analysis
• Use predictive models like logistic regression or decision trees to anticipate enrollment shifts and improve outreach

Financial Intelligence

Being financially sound today means more than just reviewing past budgets. Schools are now applying statistical and machine learning tools to their financial data to uncover insights they can act on in real time.

Here are some key questions you can explore with structured data:

• How does your current cash flow stack up against projections using time-series forecasting?
• Are tuition delinquencies rising in particular groups, based on clustering analysis?
• What’s the variance between actual and budgeted net tuition revenue using variance analysis?
• Are financial aid dollars supporting both access and academic performance, as measured by outcomes?
• How resilient is your budget in different scenarios like inflation or enrollment dips, using simulations such as Monte Carlo simulations?

Community Data Governance

Beyond the business office, schools need to track population data to support equity, allocate resources effectively, and stay ahead of emerging needs. That’s where a strong data governance framework comes in. It should include things like data quality checks, access controls, and compliance with privacy laws like FERPA and GDPR.

With good governance, you can:

• Analyze attendance by grade to spot patterns using anomaly detection
• Map behavioral incidents to identify training needs or environmental factors
• Track academic performance across student groups to evaluate program impact through cohort analysis
• Review parent engagement data to fine-tune communication and increase participation with segmentation models

Strategic Data Utilization

To avoid drowning in too much data, it’s important to have a clear governance plan that connects your data practices to your school’s goals. This involves:

• Setting KPIs across departments that align with your mission
• Making sure your student information system, LMS, and financial systems work together seamlessly
• Training your team on data literacy, ethical use of data, and how to interpret dashboards

One emerging solution to help with this is FACTS Data Insights, our new centralized analytics platform (currently in beta).  Built on a Snowflake data warehouse, it brings together disparate datasets from your school’s existing FACTS solutions and turns them into easy-to-understand dashboards that support smarter decisions. The FACTS Data Science team is continuously uncovering new insights and turning them into actionable visuals for school leaders.

The short version? With FACTS Data Insights, you’ll be able to make confident, informed decisions based on your school’s unique data story.

To learn more, reach out to your FACTS account manager for information on how to implement in your school!

Meeting government reporting requirements is a non-negotiable – and often a significant pain point – for Australian schools. Whether it’s the annual census, financial reporting or attendance, schools share a vast amount of data with state and federal governments throughout the year.

Renowned for being complicated, time-consuming and admin-heavy, government reporting impacts everything from funding and resource allocation to ensuring student safety. But with different requirements in each state and ever-evolving compliance standards, keeping up with government reporting can feel overwhelming.

A smart school management system makes it easier for schools to prepare and submit a range of government reports, including:

• Census: Conducted annually, the census collects information about the number of students and staff at each school, students with visas, students with disabilities, and the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled.
• NAPLAN: National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results are used to inform teaching and learning programs, provide feedback to families regarding student progress, and demonstrate school performance against key NAPLAN indicators.
• NCCD: The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCDD) supports schools, education authorities and governments to better understand the needs of students with disabilities and how they can be best supported.
• STATS: Student attendance data is a key indicator of student engagement and educational outcomes. This information is published in national reports and on the My School website.
• Financial Questionnaire (FQ): An annual collection of financial data required from non-government schools receiving Australian Government funding.
• State-specific compliance reports: Including VASS, ERMS, NESA, VSN, SRDG, and LUI.

FACTS helps schools meet their government reporting obligations by streamlining how relevant data is collect ed, managed and submitted to state and federal authorities. Here are four keyways FACTS takes the hassle out of government reporting.

Schools must collect and submit detailed enrolment and staffing information to state and federal governments.

FACTS makes it easy to collect, validate, and export the right data in the format required for census submissions. Information is stored securely and de-identified as needed, helping schools submit accurate, complete data without a significant administrative effort.

NCCD requirements are notoriously difficult to navigate without the right systems and processes.

FACTS supports schools to record and manage educational adjustments for students with a disability, with dedicated fields aligned to NCCD requirements. Data is collected consistently, stored securely, and provides schools with a clear, auditable trail of support for students with disability.

Attendance is one of the most reported data points in Australian K–12 schools – some states require schools to submit attendance data up to eight times each year.

FACTS allows schools to capture daily attendance and automatically flags absence patterns or anomalies. The platform goes beyond helping schools meet their reporting requirements – it enables the identification of students who are frequently late or absent so that schools can provide these individuals with targeted support or referrals to support services if needed.

Each Australian state has its own compliance framework with unique acronyms, formats, and timelines. Whether it’s VASS (Victoria), ERMS (New South Wales), SRDG (Western Australia) or LUI (Queensland), it can be challenging to stay across the detail.

FACTS partners with our schools to ensure they have the tools to meet their state’s reporting requirements. Our platform can be customised to help schools pull together and export information in the required format, making it easier for them to stay on top of their obligations.

With the right platform in place, government reporting becomes a lot easier. FACTS takes the pressure off, helping schools collect, manage and submit data accurately and efficiently.

Get in touch with our team today to learn how FACTS can support your school to meet government reporting requirements with confidence.

Nearly a thousand FACTS users from across the country joined us June 23-26 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to explore new horizons at Elevate 2025. Attendees made connections, got hands-on training, found inspiration from our incredible lineup of speakers, and had a lot of fun.

Inspired by Utah’s beautiful landscape, this year’s conference theme was “Explore New Horizons,” and that we did! From exploring emerging trends in K-12 to hearing what’s on the horizon for FACTS products and improving competency for more efficient day-to-day use of FACTS’ solutions, Elevate 2025 brought valuable takeaways for everyone.

This year, we hosted over 350 sessions led by industry leaders and FACTS experts. Sessions covered a wide array of topics from evolving trends in financial aid to tips for navigating school choice, giving attendees plenty of options to build agendas that fit their unique interests. Throughout sessions, attendees collaborated with FACTS team members and each other to build valuable connections and engage in hands-on learning.

In several sessions, and throughout the conference, we provided users with exciting updates on the FACTS product roadmap, including introducing a new product, FACTS Childcare Management, which is currently in beta testing. We also shared information about new AI features added to our HubHelp platform and a demo showcasing how our Data Insights tool helps schools access actionable information to guide strategic decisions.

Through fireside chats, we gave attendees even more ways to connect with presenters and get answers to their questions in a smaller, more intimate setting.

Olympic figure skating legend Nancy Kerrigan joined us on day three of Elevate to share her story of resilience, growth, and the power of persistence.

She reminded us that success is a journey. It’s okay not to have it all figured out yet and to fail along the way, because often, the journey is even more rewarding than the result.

“Looking back, I did get to go and represent the U.S. at the Olympics, but it was about the journey of putting it all on the line,” said Kerrigan. “That is something I take much more pride in. It’s more about that journey and what you put into something, because we all fail.”

Along her journey as a figure skater, Kerrigan faced many challenges that helped her learn the importance of prioritizing self-care. She concluded her speech by encouraging the educators in the room to do the same.

She said, “Take care of yourselves because it is so important, so that you can keep giving, because I’m sure you’re always giving. If you keep putting it out, you need to also fuel yourself so you can keep being positive role models.”

One of the best parts of Elevate 2025 was hearing from our 2024 Teacher Innovation Award winners! All the winners were invited to attend this year’s event, where they were honored for and presented on their winning projects, including a CSI-style history lab, an interactive library experience that brings books to life, and a project where students apply Newton’s Laws of Motion to design an arcade game. They also got to attend a private lunch to celebrate their achievements!

These awards are just one of the ways that FACTS has committed to fostering innovation in the classroom, as we believe that creative environments create a lasting impact. While our 2024 winners are still reigning, we invite everyone to start thinking of innovative teachers in their life that could become our 2025 winners. The five educators selected receive an impressive prize package, including $5000, $1000 for their school, a free trip to present at Elevate 2026, and more!

Award nominations for the 2025 Teacher Innovation Awards will open September 15th. Keep checking our website for more details!

Not only was Elevate 2025 packed with a lot of learning, but it was also full of fun!

Throughout Elevate, we had several networking opportunities where attendees could connect. These included a reception featuring adoptable puppies from Hearts 4 Paws and a taste of some of Utah’s favorite dishes.

Our exhibit hall had a ton of interesting booths to explore, connecting FACTS users with innovative products and services that could help improve efficiencies, increase tuition revenue, and foster a positive school community. Thank you to our sponsors for all your support and help making Elevate 2025 so great!

To add even more fun to Elevate’s conference floor, Owlie’s Outpost offered an opportunity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of conference activities, chat with FACTS team members, and pick up Elevate 2025 merch—including exclusive t-shirts, belt bags, and custom Owala water bottles!

Elevate 2025 was incredible, but we already can’t wait to see everyone again next year! July 6-9, 2026 Elevate will return to sunny Orlando, Florida. Want to join us? Take advantage of our Super Early Bird Registration deal today!

As modern life gets busier and busier, more families prioritize staying connected to their child’s school and educational progress. They want to know where they are, what they’re doing, and how they can ensure their student’s school life leads to success while being manageable for them. FACTS has a long-standing commitment to prioritizing family communication and creating an exceptional experience from admission to graduation.

Let’s spend a day with FACTS parents, Sam and Ryan, and their child, Amy, to see how our solutions impact them throughout the school day.

7 AM

Many parents start their days by helping their children get ready, packing lunches, and getting them to school on time, whether taking them to the building or seeing them off on the bus. Sam and Ryan’s experience begins here, too.

While Sam helps Amy get ready for school, Ryan can log into the FACTS Family App to check Amy’s grades and assignment status to ensure she’s prepared for a productive day and knows exactly what she needs to focus on. Seeing that there will be a math test today, Ryan knows to follow up later and see how Amy thinks she did, if she thinks she might need support with her studies, and when they can expect Amy’s grades to be updated in the app.

Once everyone is ready, they’re off to get Amy to school and then head to work.

8 AM

At this time, Amy should be heading to her first class while Sam and Ryan are settled into work. Amy’s teacher uses FACTS SIS to take daily attendance, and Sam logs into the Family App to see Amy’s attendance status, ensuring she’s in the right class at the right time. Ryan can also see where Amy is by logging into the FACTS Family Portal on his laptop at work and can get a glimpse at what Amy is learning today in the lesson plan and assignment area. Ryan can even see Amy’s grades as soon as her teacher uploads them via Google Classroom.

Now, Sam and Ryan can have peace of mind knowing that Amy is getting to her classes on time and having a productive day while they manage their own time.

10 AM

Sam has some free time between meetings and notices that the school sent a newsletter via a notification from their app. With FACTS, newsletters, announcements, and other notifications are sent out digitally, speeding up communications and prompting faster responses if needed. Sam looks over the newsletter and sees that Amy’s class is raising money for a school trip at the end of the term. Amy loves school trips!

Since the school uses FACTS Giving to manage fundraising, Sam can easily donate via phone or computer. Sam can also learn more about the school trip and sign Amy’s permission slip online, saving time and eliminating the need to complete a paper form and send it back to school with Amy.

12 PM

It’s time for lunch! Automatic deductions are already set up with Sam and Ryan’s bank account through FACTS, so Amy’s account is ready for her to get the lunch she wants: pizza! Ryan can take a lunch break now that Amy is taken care of. Maybe he’ll get pizza, too.

3 PM

Amy’s school day is over, but she still has other extracurricular activities to keep her busy through the afternoon. Time for soccer practice!

Later, Sam sees a notification that Amy’s jersey got torn on the field, and the school will have to order a new one. Luckily, Sam can easily make a payment through FACTS to cover the cost of Amy’s uniform, so she’s gameday-ready without delay.

Once that’s taken care of, Sam can return to finishing her work day while Amy is at practice.

5 PM

The day ends, and it’s time to pick up Amy from soccer practice. Sam checks the Family App to see if there are any special instructions for pickup (thanks to the FACTS partnership with Pikmykid). In the past, she’s gotten notifications right to her phone about delays or practice schedule changes, but today, everything is right on time. Once Amy is picked up, they can talk about the day and head home.

Back home, Sam and Ryan look at Amy’s grades that were uploaded from Google Classroom and current, future, and past-due assignments to ensure she completes and submits her homework, all within FACTS Student Information System (SIS). They also check their financial status to see if there are any tuition payment will be withdrawn or if they need to add funds to Amy’s school account to cover upcoming fees.

7 PM

And at long last, it’s time for everyone to sit on the couch and watch a movie together! Popcorn, anyone?

From start to finish, FACTS was there for Sam, Ryan, and Amy throughout their day, whether with homework, sports, lunch payments, or timely alerts.

Your Life with FACTS

FACTS makes navigating every school day easy, efficient, and convenient. Our goal is to keep everyone (including students) connected deeply to your school, so communication is easy, not chaotic.

We’d love to share more about how FACTS can help families at your school just like this one. Watch this interactive demo to learn more about the family experience with FACTS!

In today’s digital world, families are researching schools long before they ever schedule a tour. But what if your school doesn’t have a big advertising budget? The good news: you don’t need one. With a little time and strategy, you can make a big impact without spending a dime.

Take the First Steps

The best way to get started on your school’s marketing plan is to start thinking about your current situation and how prospective families are engaging with and coming to know about your school.

• Where are families learning about your school?
• Where are they talking about it?
• How can you improve your messaging using the tools you already have?

For most schools trying to keep advertising costs low, the most powerful marketing tool is undoubtedly your school’s website.

Optimizing Your Website

Your school website is your digital front door. For most prospective families, this is how they’ll make their first impression of your school. Make sure it’s welcoming and informative! Your whole site, particularly your homepage, needs to present a clear and compelling message. Our top 10 must-haves include:

• A mission-driven homepage: Your homepage should feature bold headlines and clear messaging that communicates your identity and values as a school.
• Authentic photos: High-quality photos of students and your school community build emotional connection, trust, and credibility. Avoid stock images when you can.
• A clear admissions page: An organized admissions page clearly guides families through the next steps. Make sure yours creates a strong first impression and helps parents understand what truly matters.
• A “Why Families Choose Us” video: A short video sharing your mission, education, and community through the voices of parents and students builds trust faster than text—especially since parents prefer watching over reading.
• Program highlights: Provide overviews of academic goals, key programs, student-teacher ratios, enrichment, and field trips. These pages will guide families by setting clear expectations for each stage of education.
• Testimonials from parents and alumni: Make sure to include short quotes or 30–60 second video testimonials from parents and alumni, especially on your admissions and about pages. These testimonials provide social proof and help reassure prospective families by sharing authentic peer experiences.
• A tuition and value page: This helps address cost concerns by highlighting return on investment and academic success. Transparency helps families feel more confident in their decision-making.
• A dynamic calendar: Make sure there is a clear way for families to stay engaged and informed, while also highlighting your school’s vibrancy. Dynamic calendars build trust by demonstrating strong communication and an active community.
• A leadership section with bios and photos: Highlighting your faculty and leadership with photos and mini bios helps families feel more connected.
• Community in action content: Photos and videos of meaningful school activities like service projects, events, and student life show that your values are actively lived, not just claimed.

Assessing Your Site

Once you’ve implemented the site changes above, take a moment to reflect on if what you’ve added to your site is showing prospective families what they need to see. When families visit your site, what they’re really asking is:

• Will my child thrive here?
• Will they be known and supported?
• Can I see my family here?

Put yourself in the family’s shoes. Is your site addressing these questions? If so, you’ve created a strong marketing tool for your school.

Other Considerations

Beyond your website, think about where families are searching for your school. Google your school and see what comes up. You’ll want to make sure your Google Business Profile is accurate and up to date. Include your hours, contact info, leadership, and photos. Take the time to check your listings on Niche, GreatSchools, Yelp, and Private School Review, too. These platforms are often the first stop for prospective families.

Another simple but powerful tip? Create a generic email address (like [email protected]) for all your school profiles. This ensures continuity even if staff changes.

We’re back with the second installment the FACTS quarterly product roadmap series (If you missed them check out the FACTS Q1 2025 updates here)! At FACTS, your feedback continues to guide how we build and improve our solutions, and we’re committed to keeping you in the loop every step of the way. In this update, you’ll get a look at what launched in April-June of 2025, what’s currently in progress, and what’s ahead across our product suite. Keep reading for your official Q2 2025 update.

Product Updates:

• FACTS Student Information System
• FACTS Application & Enrollment
• FACTS Financial Aid Management
• FACTS Payment Plans & Billing

Student Information System

What’s New With FACTS Student Information System

Scheduling Enhancements in FACTS SIS:
We launched the first phase of scheduling enhancements in FACTS Student Information System on June 9, 2025. This release included an update to the FACTS general scheduling application, updates to templates and patterns, and a new person locator in FACTS SIS, which can be used to locate students and staff members according to their daily schedule.

FACTS SIS Medical Module Redesign:
Released May 27, 2025, FACTS SIS has new medical enhancements, including a brand-new interface along with many at-a-glance features to help school medical staff manage student health records. We also completed key school-requested updates in FACTS SIS, like removing the ability to overwrite medical notes and allowing staff to select relationship types before emailing parents about medical events.

FACTS SIS Main Menu and Navigation Bar:
On June 9, 2025, we released a new main menu and navigation bar in FACTS SIS that includes a more modern look with icons for menu items and better placement of help icons.

What’s Near With FACTS Student Information System

New Dashboard Builder in FACTS SIS:
FACTS Student Information System is getting a new Power BI embedded reporting solution designed for K-12 school users. It enables educators to create, customize, and share dashboards using live data from the SIS. Users will have access to pre-built dashboards such as Student Information, Medical, Behavior, Admissions, or At-Risk. Additionally, school users can export reports for use in meetings or compliance reviews. With Dashboard Builder, FACTS making data accessible for all users!

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Progress in FACTS SIS:
FACTS is excited to share the latest progress on our rollout of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for SIS users.

Since our last update on MFA progress for FACTS Student Information System:

• We completed beta testing with a group of schools using Premier Integration.
• We gathered feedback from a broader set of users across FACTS SIS.
• Based on that feedback, we extended the authentication window from 4 hours to 8 hours, reducing the need for frequent re-authentication during the day.

What to Expect With these MFA Updates in FACTS SIS:

• Rollout Timeline: We are targeting to have all FACTS SIS schools enabled by the end of August 2025.
• Advance Notice: FACTS Schools will receive at least two weeks’ notice before MFA is enabled. Notifications will come from your Account Manager and appear directly in FACTS SIS via in-app messaging.

For more information on MFA and related changes for FACTS Student Information System, please visit: https://www.nbshubhelp.com/

What’s Next With FACTS Student Information System

Here’s a sneak peek at some things FACTS is exploring and building behind the scenes. These updates are on the FACTS product roadmap, but they might take a little time—good things are worth the wait! Want to share your thoughts or stay in the loop in the meantime? Join the conversation in FACTS^SPACE.

Continued Progress on Scheduling:
We continue to work on our large, comprehensive update to scheduling in FACTS Student Information System. This project will include an updated interface to make scheduling more intuitive for school staff, added features such as teacher recommendations and the ability to mass update classes, and improvements to reporting to help manage scheduling conflicts and ensure scheduling is complete. The project also includes enhancements to courses and classes that support the scheduling process. This is an ongoing initiative, with features released in phases.

• Phase 1 is live as of Q2 2025. Here’s what’s coming next:
• Phase 2 – Course Requests
• Phase 3 – Courses, Classes, and Rooms
• Phase 4 – Manual and Auto Scheduling Enhancements
• Phase 5 – Updates to schedule reporting

Application & Enrollment

What’s New With FACTS Application & Enrollment

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Coming to FACTS Application & Enrollment:
The FACTS Application & Enrollment teams released all changes needed to be ready for the multi-factor authentication (MFA) launch scheduled for Q3 2025.

What’s Near With FACTS Application & Enrollment

FACTS is introducing Inquiry Triggers to Email Series Manager in Application & Enrollment, enabling school administrators to automatically send nurturing emails to parents who submit an inquiry. This enhancement also includes an opt-out option for marketing emails, giving families greater control over the communications they receive.

What’s Next With FACTS Application & Enrollment

New Look and Experience for Inquiry & Application:
FACTS is continuing to modernize the Parent Inquiry and Application experience in Application & Enrollment! Over the next year, we’ll transform the look and feel of our platform to provide a more modern and visually appealing experience.

But that’s not all. Our focus is also on enhancing the user experience within FACTS Application & Enrollment with improved, intuitive, and streamlined workflows, all built with a mobile-first design approach to ensure accessibility and ease of use across devices. Expect a smoother, more efficient process that will make your parents’ interaction with FACTS Application & Enrollment more enjoyable.

Here is a sneak peek at the design:

Financial Aid Management

What’s New With FACTS Financial Aid Management

SIS Current Student Status Integration in FACTS Financial Aid:
Previously, we added the ability to show the SIS student admission status and new/returning status in FACTS Financial Aid Management custom reporting. Now, you can also add the SIS current student status for an up-to-date status throughout the school year.

IRS Integration Q2 Updates in FACTS Financial Aid:
FACTS Financial Aid now offers the ability for co-applicants who file separately to get their tax transcripts through IRS integration.

Supplemental Document Enhancements in FACTS:
Supplemental documents in FACTS Financial Aid allows schools to collect extra documents outside of the FACTS collected and reviewed tax documents.

FACTS added two enhancements in Financial Aid Management to increase flexibility in triggering document requests, ensuring only relevant families see them as a requirement. School administrators can now can conditionally request documents based on:

• Family Not Filing Taxes (DNF Status): Request documents from families not filing taxes, such as an attestation of non-filing.
• Internal Tracking Fields selection: This allows you to tie a document requirement to a checkbox or drop-down option for internal tracking, allowing you to add document requirements after reviewing a family’s submitted application. You will be able to leverage all the tools associated with internal tracking, such as being able to assign documents in mass within reports.

New Fund Details Page in FACTS Financial Aid:
As part of the ongoing modernization effort in FACTS Financial Aid Management, we’ve updated the Fund Detail Awarding page with a refreshed design, full-screen viewing, faster reporting, and an improved user experience!

Student Submit Date/Timestamp as a Reporting Field:
To assist with scholarship organizations prioritizing by submission date and time, we’ve added a student specific submit date and time stamp reporting field that can be added to all custom reporting areas.

Preference School Change Notification:
Scholarship organizations will now get a notification in the Daily Digest when a student’s preference school changes.

What’s Near With FACTS Financial Aid Management

Coming Soon for FACTS Financial Aid IRS Integration:

• Most Recent Year Tax Return: FACTS added the ability to retrieve the most recent tax documents from the IRS within the FACTS Financial Aid Management. This will become available as soon as the IRS fixes an issue with the 2024 transcripts, which is scheduled to be released July 20, 2025.
• W2s: FACTS will be adding the ability for applicants and co-applicants to get their W2s directly from the IRS in addition to the tax returns. This will include both the prior year and most recent year W2s as they become available through the IRS. We expect to release this on July 28, 2025.

Turn Off W-2 Wage Adjustment & New Year Document Override:
Currently, FACTS Financial Aid Management automatically adjusts a family’s income based on the most recent W-2 when paired with a prior year tax return and will use the most recent tax return when submitted by a family.

Some of our schools and scholarship organizations have requested the ability to turn off this automatic adjustment in FACTS Financial Aid Management, allowing them to receive more recent year’s W-2s without it affecting the family’s assessment, or still request and use the prior year tax return in the assessment even when the most recent year has been received. This will be an optional setting.

What’s Next With FACTS Financial Aid Management

Prefill Custom Questions for Returning FACTS Users:
To continue to make the applicant process easier for returning families, FACTS Financial Aid Management is adding the ability to select if the responses to a custom question should be pre-filled based on last year’s responses. This can be chosen per custom question, and applicants will still have the ability to update the response if something has changed from last year.

Payment Plans & Billing

What’s New With FACTS Payment Plans & Billing

3rd Party Payment Function in FACTS Payment Plans:
FACTS Payment Plans & Billing now has the ability to record a Payment at an Institution from a third party, such as payments from school choice programs. This will give schools better reporting on the money received from school choice programs and ensure the parents’ payment summary is accurate, as it will not include these payments.

What’s Near With FACTS Payment Plans & Billing

FACTS 3rd Party Payment at Institution Phase 2:
Following the initial release of this enhancement in FACTS Payment Plans & Billing, we received valuable feedback that highlighted opportunities for greater flexibility. As a result, we will be adding support for multiple editable third-party adjustment reasons.

What’s Next With FACTS Payment Plans & Billing

Auto-Replenish Prepay Accounts Coming to FACTS:
FACTS is working on adding the ability for families to have their Prepay Account automatically refreshed from a saved account in Payment Plans & Billing when the balance reaches a certain threshold. Love this idea and want the most up-to-date news? “Like” the idea in FACTS^SPACE and you’ll be among the first to know!

Mass Transfer of Funds & Credits in FACTS:
FACTS is excited to announce that we will soon be adding the capability to transfer funds and credits in mass in FACTS Payment Plans & Billing. Previously, we introduced this feature for balances due and received valuable feedback indicating a need for similar functionality for funds and credits.

Parent Invoices in FACTS for School Choice Programs:
To meet state requirements, FACTS aims to provide parents with compliant documentation that supports state-level funding processes. This ensures regulatory adherence while simplifying the experience for families.

Payment Plan Modernization in FACTS:
Modernizing the FACTS Payment Plan enrollment experience enables parents to sign up for a payment plan from any device, streamlining and simplifying the enrollment steps, and enhancing existing processes. The updated experience will include compliant disclosures and leverage a design system to ensure a modern, accessible, and user-friendly interface.

In today’s educational landscape, extracurricular activities have expanded far beyond traditional sports. From robotics and debate to drama and environmental clubs, students are engaging in a diverse array of programs that enrich their academic experience and build lifelong skills.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 57% of children aged 6 to 17 participate in at least one after-school extracurricular activity, and nearly 29% are involved in clubs or non-sport lessons such as music, language, or drama. These programs aren’t just feel-good add-ons—they’re game-changers for student development, building confidence, commitment, and community.

Despite their importance, many of these programs lack access to custom apparel that fosters unity and school spirit. Gary Goldberg, President and Founder of SquadLocker, emphasizes,

“Every student group, whether it’s the chess club or the marching band, deserves the same sense of identity and pride that a football team enjoys. Our mission is to ensure that all programs have access to high-quality, custom apparel that brings their members together.”

SquadLocker’s made-to-order, single-unit manufacturing model eliminates order minimums and keeps online stores open year-round. That means even the smallest clubs can outfit their members without financial strain or logistical headaches.

“Unlike other platforms I’ve worked with, SquadLocker is built for inclusivity,” says Matt McGovern, National Account Manager at SquadLocker. “A club with five students gets the same quality gear, service, and attention as a varsity team. Our SquadSchool program takes that even further, providing built-in fundraising, unlimited artwork services, and exclusive gear extras. It helps these programs stand out and raise the funds they need to keep investing in student development.”

Apparel isn’t just a utility—it’s a powerful fundraising tool. With SquadLocker’s built-in fundraising features, clubs and teams can earn money every time someone purchases spirit wear. No inventory. No hassle. Just seamless support.

This aligns perfectly with guidance from FACTS Management, who note that successful fundraisers should focus on three things:

• Ease of setup
• Low overhead
• High return

As FACTS says, “Fundraising isn’t only about collecting donations—it’s also a chance to boost morale and get your students, staff, and families full of school pride and the spirit of giving.”

With options like spirit wear stores, students, parents, and supporters can rally around a cause and represent their community in style. And when paired with FACTS Giving, schools can integrate tracking, automate giving, and even activate tools like text-to-give, making it even easier to support emerging programs—from STEM to multicultural initiatives.

To support school-wide equity and organization, our SquadSchool membership program takes things a step further. Schools enrolled in SquadSchool receive:

• Professional artwork services for high-quality, branded designs.
• A custom landing page featuring all school clubs, teams, and activities.
• A single shopping cart experience for families to easily purchase gear across multiple programs.

It’s a scalable solution that reduces friction and elevates visibility for every group, not just the big names on campus.

Our integration with FACTS Management connects custom apparel to a broader school ecosystem that includes tuition management, communication tools, family engagement, and more.

With SquadLocker as part of that whole-school platform, custom gear becomes another seamless touchpoint—streamlined, secure, and fully aligned with how modern schools operate.

Read the full press release about the FACTS x SquadLocker partnership

Whether it’s an emerging pickleball team, a growing esports league, or a small STEM club just getting started, every student deserves to feel seen, united, and proud. At SquadLocker, we make it possible—with no order minimums, 24/7 stores, inclusive design tools, and built-in fundraising that fuels what’s next.

Learn more about how SquadLocker and SquadSchool can support your school’s diverse programs.

Safety is a cornerstone of every school. It’s not just a regulatory concern—it’s a reflection of stewardship, trust, and care for students. As schools serve growing communities of students, families, and staff, the need for a dependable, modern visitor management system (VMS) becomes not just relevant—but essential.

Gone are the days when a handwritten name on a sign-in sheet was enough. In today’s environment, schools need smart, efficient tools that provide real-time visibility, accountability, and security for every person entering campus grounds.

Let’s explore why schools are increasingly adopting VMS as part of their commitment to protecting what matters most.

A Visitor Management System is a digital upgrade to traditional sign-in processes. It replaces pen-and-paper logs with a secure system that scans IDs, tracks visitor movement, and stores visit records.

For schools, this means:

• Knowing exactly who is on campus at any time
• Ensuring all visitors are properly identified
• Logging visit history for security and compliance purposes
• Preventing unauthorized access to school facilities

Private and independent schools are known for their close-knit communities. Parents, church staff, volunteers, and vendors regularly walk through campus doors. This makes it even more important to ensure that everyone who enters is identified, logged, and cleared.

A VMS does more than log names—it supports a school’s commitment to safety, order, and accountability, all while honoring the values that guide its mission.

1. Real-Time Awareness and Accountability

A visitor management system ensures that school leaders always know who is on campus. Whether it’s a parent, a repair technician, or a guest speaker, the system tracks check-in and check-out times with precision. This visibility is vital not only for everyday operations but also during emergency situations, reunifications, or lockdowns.

2. Faster, Smoother Check-Ins

Busy mornings and events can create congestion at the front office. A VMS streamlines this process with:

• ID Scanning: Captures visitor data securely
• On-Demand Badge Printing: Clearly displays names, photos, and purposes of visit
• Pre-Registration: Speeds up check-ins for returning or scheduled guests

This creates a more organized, welcoming experience while reinforcing security protocols.

3. Built-In Safety Protocols

In schools, nurturing environments go hand-in-hand with strong protection. A VMS can instantly flag visitors who may pose a risk, based on background check integration. If an emergency arises, staff can access a full list of who is on-site within seconds—an invaluable feature for first responders.

VMS platforms can also integrate with school alert systems, ensuring coordinated responses during drills or real incidents.

Families seek schools they can trust. A visible, reliable visitor management process reinforces that trust.

• Parents see a professional, consistent approach to safety
• Visitors experience a streamlined, respectful check-in process
• Staff have peace of mind knowing protocols are followed without exception

This builds a culture of openness, responsibility, and shared commitment to protecting students.

Visitor management works best when paired with broader campus safety strategies. Many FACTS partner schools combine VMS with:

• Access Control Systems: Limit entry to authorized personnel
• Security Cameras: Log visits with time-stamped video for added verification
• Emergency Management Tools: Support reunification and lockdown protocols

Together, these tools create a comprehensive safety system.

School administrators must often balance limited resources with high expectations. A VMS helps schools remain compliant with state safety laws and accreditation standards by:

• Maintaining digital visitor logs for audits
• Supporting emergency drills with attendance data
• Reducing manual recordkeeping, saving valuable staff time

It’s an investment in stewardship—protecting both people and processes.

As with any new system, there are considerations:

• Cost: Schools must budget for hardware, software, and training
• Training: Staff need clear onboarding to use the system effectively
• Data Privacy: Visitor data must be handled securely, in compliance with laws

However, the long-term benefits in safety, trust, and operational efficiency far outweigh the initial lift. VMS providers like Pikmykid, who serve faith based and independent schools, offer scalable, user-friendly options to support smooth implementation.

Adopting a VMS isn’t just about technology—it’s about reinforcing the values of diligence, care, and responsibility that define education.

It tells families: “We’re watching. We’re ready. We’re committed to keeping your children safe—not just in prayer, but in practice.”

As school safety concerns grow, the need for tools like VMS grows with them. Schools must continue to evaluate their processes and strengthen their safety posture in a way that reflects their goals or mission.

If your school is exploring ways to improve campus security, strengthen emergency readiness, and build trust with your families, a VMS may be the right solution.

Learn how visitor management fits into your school’s safety strategy with a free consultation with Pikmykid.

Private school fees have been in the spotlight recently. According to the Australian Financial Review, tuition costs at most independent schools will rise far beyond inflation in 2025 — an average increase of nearly 6%.

In an environment where cost-of-living pressures have placed many families under financial pressure, rising school fees are a high-profile and emotive topic. Given this, it’s critical that schools are transparent in communicating why fees are increasing so sharply and giving families confidence about how their contributions are being spent.

Families want transparency about school fee structures, particularly in tough economic times. While independent schools may not be obliged to share details regarding their tuition decisions with stakeholders, providing families with some context about significant rises is invaluable in fostering trust. By being open about changes to fees – without delving into the micro details – schools can make it clear that they respect their community and view their relationships with families as partnerships rather than that of service providers and customers.

School fees are undoubtedly one of the major considerations for prospective parents assessing different schooling options for their child. In the case of K-12 schools, deciding to enrol at a particular school is the start of a relationship that will usually last for more than a decade. A transparent fee structure and having tuition information freely available via channels like the school’s website provides a strong first impression and reinforces your school’s brand as transparent and trustworthy.

School fee clarity helps families to plan and budget effectively and reduces the stress associated with unexpected costs. By providing families with a clear view of all fees due throughout a school year and giving them flexibility in how they make payments, schools can show their commitment to supporting their community. Specialist tuition payment solutions like FACTS Tuition Management give families payment flexibility within parameters set by the school, making it easy for them to manage their fees in a way that suits them while still meeting your school’s payment expectations.

Australian independent schools operate as not-for-profit organisations and, as such, are subject to robust accountability and reporting requirements. Their registrations with state and territory authorities are regularly reviewed, including ensuring compliance with educational standards and financial accountability requirements. This makes it crucial for schools to maintain transparent, up-to-date records of their tuition fee structures and financial transactions. Beyond legal obligations, schools that embrace transparency around fees foster a culture where integrity and operating fairly and ethically are valued.

Being clear and upfront about fees is a simple and effective way for schools to build trust with families. Education is a deeply personal and long-term relationship between student, family and school, so cultivating trusted partnerships in a collaborative environment is a must. A tuition fee structure and process where families feel respected, informed, and in control will build your school’s brand and reputation as an institution of choice.

More than 11,500 schools worldwide trust FACTS Tuition Management to help them embed a best-practice approach to tuition fees. Get in touch for more information about our leading tuition management platform.

As school choice expands at the state level, new momentum is building at the federal level through the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). This proposed tax credit program could unlock up to $5 billion annually in private donations to fund K-12 scholarships. 

The ECCA has gained significant traction and was recently included in the U.S. House’s budget reconciliation process, though it is not yet a law. The most recent version of the bill restores important protections for religious liberty, an issue closely watched by private schools and scholarship organizations.

At FACTS, we’re monitoring these developments closely and helping schools and Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) prepare for what could be a historic shift in national education funding.

The ECCA is designed to make private education more accessible to families by providing federal tax credits to individuals and businesses that donate to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs). These SGOs then provide scholarships to eligible students for tuition and other educational expenses at participating private schools. As federal lawmakers debate the future of school choice, the ECCA could represent the most significant national expansion to date. 

The ECCA is a federal initiative that would create up to $5 billion annually in tax credits for donations to SGOs. In turn, these organizations fund scholarships for K–12 students to attend private schools across the country, including faith-based schools. The program aims to complement existing state-based school choice programs and address the rising demand for educational alternatives. 

Here are the core elements of the ECCA program: 

• Annual Volume Cap: $5 billion in federal tax credits, available from 2026 through 2029.
• Donor Eligibility:  Only individual income taxpayers may participate. Corporate donors are not eligible.
• Donation Limit: Up to 10% of adjusted gross income (AGI) or $5,000, whichever is greater. 
• Student Eligibility:  Must be eligible to attend public school and have a household income at or below 300% of Area Median Income (AMI).
• Qualified Expenses:  Tuition, fees, educational materials, therapies, dual enrollment, tutoring, and more.
• State Set-Aside: 10% of the annual volume cap is allocated evenly across all 50 states and reserved for residents of those states.
• First-Come, First-Serve Allocation: Credits are awarded in the order contributions are received, with no allocations after December 31 of each year. 
• Sunset Clause:  The program is authorized through 2029 and would require reauthorization to continue beyond that.

The most recent draft of the ECCA restores specific language that protects the religious liberty of participating schools. This ensures that faith-based schools can continue to operate according to their religious mission and beliefs while participating in the program. The addition of this language addresses concerns from religious organizations and school leaders who advocated for clear protections. Additional adjustments include: 

• Reduced funding cap from $10B to $5B annually
• Program is now time-limited: 2026–2029 
• Corporate donors removed
• Scholarships are currently treated as taxable income (expected to be fixed)
• New admission mandate for special education students was added (also expected to be challenged)

For SGOs and private schools, these legislative changes to the ECCA present a new funding stream that could significantly expand access to private education. However, it also brings operational expectations, including:

• SGOs must verify income, distribute funds on a timeline, and manage audits.
• Schools may need to review admission policies to ensure eligibility.
• Donors may ask new questions about tax credits, including state versus federal programs and their impact.

For SGOs and private schools, the restoration of religious liberty protections is significant. It means faith-based organizations can confidently participate in the ECCA without compromising their values or operational autonomy. At the same time, the enhanced federal tax credit could dramatically increase the pool of available scholarship funds, expanding access for more families.

Being ready early means being positioned to grow.

SGOs need to know they’re working with a trusted leader in school choice and scholarship management. FACTS is actively monitoring developments in the ECCA legislation and preparing solutions to support schools and SGOs. We’re actively monitoring the ECCA’s progress and working to:

• Ensure FACTS solutions are ready for ECCA federal compliance
• Educate clients with summaries, webinars, and FAQs
• Provide guidance on eligibility, documentation, and distribution requirements

FACTS’ eligibility verification and program management tools are designed to help organizations navigate new compliance requirements brought on by ECCA changes, ensure accurate reporting, and maximize scholarship impact.

Whether you’re a long-time SGO partner or just getting started with FACTS, our goal is to make your transition into any new federal program seamless.

Want to learn more about the ECCA and what it means for your organization? Watch this on-demand webinar, hosted by FACTS, where we break down the latest developments, answer your questions, and discuss how FACTS can help you navigate these changes. If you’d like to discuss how your organization can prepare for the ECCA, reach out to your FACTS representative or contact us directly.

As federal and state scholarship landscapes evolve, FACTS is here to help you adapt and thrive every step of the way.

Q: Can donors claim both state and federal tax credits?
A: Yes. If donations are made to separate programs, donors may be eligible for both.

Q: Are scholarships really taxable?
A: The current draft says yes, but it is widely expected this will be corrected in a future revision.

Q: Will schools be required to change their admissions policies?
A: Possibly, depending on how the special education requirement survives reconciliation.

Q: Who qualifies as a donor?
A: Only individual taxpayers, not businesses or corporations.

Q: What if my SGO already participates in a state tax-credit program?
A: You may qualify under a “grandfathering” clause or meet the new federal criteria. More guidance will come as the bill progresses.

This information is for general guidance only and should not be considered legal or tax advice. For specific compliance questions, please consult with your legal or tax advisor.

When you’re looking for a restaurant, a doctor, or even the best local coffee shop, where’s the first place you turn? For most of us, it’s Google, and it’s no different for prospective families considering your school. Before they fill out an inquiry form or schedule a tour, many will do a quick search to get a first impression of your school, including reading Google reviews.

This blog kicks off a short series on increasing your school’s digital presence in today’s shifting online landscape. Over the coming weeks, we’ll share quick, actionable tips on everything from boosting your organic SEO to optimizing your school website and using FACTS’ tools to uncover and promote what makes your school stand out.

Big Changes

Recently, there’s been an important update that schools need to know: Google is removing some reviews for certain types of schools. While the full reasoning hasn’t been made public, it appears to relate to a policy shift where Google is restricting reviews for organizations considered public services or government-related, including many K–12 schools.

What to Do Next

If your school has relied on Google reviews as part of your marketing or SEO strategy, you might notice a sudden drop in the number of reviews or even see them disappear altogether. Here’s what you can do right now:

• Monitor your listing: Check your Google Business Profile regularly so you’re aware of any changes.
• Focus on other review platforms: Encourage families to leave testimonials on platforms like Niche, Private School Review, Facebook, or your own website. This could be a great time to consider incentivizing these reviews with gift cards, school merchandise, or more.
• Gather direct testimonials: Collect quotes, stories, and feedback from families that you can share in marketing materials, newsletters, and online. Re-enrollment is a good time to solicit these testimonials – you can add a quick testimonial box to your re-enrollment packet! If you don’t have a dedicated space for reviews on your website, consider adding them on your homepage for perspective parents to see the value of your school.
• Strengthen your owned channels: Make sure your website clearly communicates your value with proof points, highlights your community, and shares authentic stories since it may now be an even bigger first impression than your Google listing. Examples of good proof points include how many students are enrolled, your graduation rate, your classroom size ratios, how many STEM/STEAM classes or extracurricular activities are offered, what types of clubs are available, any sports or arts activities, awards you’ve earned, and parent testimonials.

This is also a great opportunity to take a closer look at the overall marketing strategy for your school. What is and isn’t working? Just as lessons plans change or school procedures change, marketing tactics should be looked at year over year to evaluate what changes need to be made.

Don’t Forget About the Power of Good Feedback

The purpose of reviews is to show your families’ feedback, helping potential families choose their next school knowledgeably and confidently. Here are a few simple questions you can ask families to help guide their feedback and highlight what makes your school special:

• What made you choose our school, and how has that decision impacted your family?
• Is there a teacher, program, or activity that has made a meaningful difference for your child?
• Can you share a moment or experience that made you feel confident your child is in the right place?
• What would you tell another parent who is considering enrolling their child here?
• While most feedback is good feedback, helping your families make reviews that answer questions and give the best possible insight into your school as possible is key.

The Bottom Line

Marketing your school is already a big task and staying on top of changes like this can feel overwhelming, especially if marketing isn’t your full-time job at the school. With a proactive strategy, you can continue to make strong, positive impressions on prospective families, even with fewer Google reviews to rely on. While they represent one approach to SEO, there are many others you can incorporate to attract perspective families to your school.

Stay in the loop by creating a Google alert (or multiple alerts) for keywords like “school marketing,” follow school marketing experts on LinkedIn to help you stay in the know, or follow us! We can’t wait to share more of these tips with you in this Smart Strategies series!

Want to learn more? Explore our blog for more insights, tips, and strategies on all things education.

FACTS Student Information System’s (SIS) Maintenance Manager is a built-in automation tool that keeps your school running smoothly behind the scenes by allowing you to set up customized email alerts based on activity in your SIS. It makes it simple to stay on top of important student data and alert the right people at the right time without adding to your team’s workload. Say goodbye to having to dig for information to keep your staff and families informed!

We love hearing from schools about how FACTS SIS helps them save time, improve communication, and stay focused on what matters most at their schools. One of the most frequent comments we get from school leaders, however, is how they’re constantly learning new things about what the SIS can do. Maintenance Manager can help solve this challenge. Are you taking full advantage of this FACTS SIS tools yet? Here are a few tips to help you maximize its effectiveness!

Set It and Forget It: How Maintenance Manager Automates Communications

If your school hasn’t explored the Maintenance Manager feature in FACTS Student Information System yet, now’s the time. Here’s a quick overview of some of the top automated alerts you can set up in Maintenance Manager:

• Attendance Notifications: Automatically alert parents or staff when a student reaches a certain number of absences. This is an easy and effective way to support early intervention.
• Behavior Updates: Send automated messages based on the demerits or merits entered into FACTS SIS, ensuring that behavior concerns or praise don’t go unnoticed.
• Missing Attendance Reminders: Automatically nudge teachers or admins if class attendance hasn’t been submitted. That means fewer data gaps, more complete records, and no more awkward reminder emails.
• Gradebook Alerts: Keep families informed by alerting them to missing, failing, or incomplete grades as soon as they’re entered. No surprises at report card time!

How to Start Using Maintenance Manager Today

Maintenance Manager in FACTS Student Information System is only one example of how the team here at FACTS is constantly improving our products based on feedback from schools and their real, day-to-day needs. The best part? You don’t need additional logins or training to start using this product; it’s already included in FACTS SIS and just waiting for you to get started!

To learn more about FACTS Student Information Systems’ Maintenance Manager feature, visit HubHelp for a quick training overview or to learn more about setting up reports. You can also check out our latest Product Roadmap Blog to learn more about FACTS product updates.

We’re excited to announce that Enquiry Tracker is the preferred, endorsed
enrolment solution for FACTS School Management. This extended integration
gives schools a more streamlined way to manage the enrolment journey—from
the initial enquiry through to student onboarding. Key data collected in Enquiry
Tracker flows directly into FACTS School Management, reducing manual data
entry, saving time, and improving accuracy. Together, FACTS and Enquiry
Tracker are helping schools simplify administrative processes and build a
connected school ecosystem that supports staff, caregivers, and students every
step of the way.

Enquiry Tracker helps schools collect the right information at the right time,
enabling them to build relationships with prospective families throughout the
enrolment process and grow enrolments.

“Enquiry Tracker integrates with FACTS School Management to make it easy for
schools to manage enrolments digitally via a sophisticated and easy-to-use CRM.
From capturing data at the initial enquiry stage to managing school tours and
open days, automating communication, and providing powerful analytics, Enquiry
Tracker delivers a modern experience for the school business office and families,”
said Simon Shenton, Head of Sales & Partnerships at FACTS.
Today, more than 550 schools globally trust Enquiry Tracker to help them gather
leads, nurture prospects via personalised workflows, and monitor their enrolment
pipeline in real time.

“We know many schools often use multiple systems to manage enrolments—
including spreadsheets that require data to be manually entered into the school
management system. Without a clear and consistent approach, staying on top of
enrolment documents – some submitted in person, some online, some via email,
and often from multiple email addresses —can be time-consuming and
inconsistent,” said Greg Campitelli, Director & Co-Founder at Enquiry Tracker.

“Enquiry Tracker has been designed and built by educational specialists
specifically to solve these common enrolment challenges,” added Greg.
“FACTS is committed to partnering with organisations that share our vision to
elevate the education experience for schools and their communities. We’re
excited to collaborate with Enquiry Tracker to offer schools a best-practice
enrolment experience,” said Mr Shenton.

At FACTS, we believe the best ideas come from listening to our customers. Your feedback has been instrumental in shaping our products, which is why we’re so excited to keep you informed with our new quarterly product roadmap updates. We’re looking forward to giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s new, what’s on the way, and what’s coming down the road in 2025 across several of our products, including FACTS Student Information System, Application & Enrollment, Financial Aid Management, and Payment Plans & Billing. Here’s your first update for 2025.

Product Updates:

• FACTS Student Information System
• FACTS Application & Enrollment
• FACTS Financial Aid Management
• FACTS Payment Plans & Billing

What’s New With FACTS Student Information System?

Security Updates in FACTS SIS:
FACTS Student Information System now includes two new staff security permissions which give schools more nuanced data permissions.

• School List All – Allows the user to assign a staff member to any school in the district directly in FACTS SIS.
• School Information – Allows the user access to a staff member’s school information on the staff security screen in FACTS SIS.

New Feature: Maiden Name Field in FACTS SIS:
Schools can now record and view maiden names in Family Individual Demographics and Staff Demographics within FACTS Student Information System. This update improves data accuracy and personalization when managing student and staff records in FACTS SIS.

What’s Near With FACTS Student Information System?

Multifactor Authentication (MFA) Expanding to FACTS SIS Users:
FACTS Student Information System is enhancing account security with Multifactor Authentication (MFA). MFA is currently available for all users accessing FACTS Payment Plans and Financial Aid Management, and we are in the process of rolling it out to FACTS SIS school and parent users. We expect MFA to be available for all FACTS SIS school and parent users by August 2025!

Here’s what to expect when MFA becomes part of the FACTS Student Information System login process:

• MFA will be available as an option for staff and parents; however, students will not be prompted to use MFA.
• Users will have the option to enroll with email or an authenticator app.
• MFA will be optional, meaning users will have the ability to bypass setting it up and log in. We will continue to prompt the user every time they log in until they enroll.

Updated Username/Password Management in FACTS SIS:
Along with the addition of MFA, FACTS Student Information System is simplifying how users create and manage login credentials.

• Schools will no longer create or update usernames or passwords for staff or parents. Users will create and manage their own usernames and passwords.
• Schools will retain the ability to create usernames and passwords for student accounts that access the Family Portal.
• All users with an account will be required to have at least one email address, which must be entered in the “Email #1” field
• Usernames will need to be unique across all of FACTS. Today, usernames are unique to your specific school. If the existing username is not unique, the user will be prompted to update it the next time they login.
• Password requirements will be streamlined across all FACTS products and will no longer have an expiration date.

New Dashboard Builder for FACTS SIS:
The new FACTS Student Information System dashboard builder is currently in beta testing. This tool allows schools to create custom PowerBI dashboards. Schools may also enjoy selecting from various data options to create their own report. Using filter options, schools can drill down their data to get exactly what they need! We plan to have a full release of the FACTS SIS dashboard builder in Q2 2025.

We’re always listening, learning, and improving—and it’s all because of you. Your feedback continues to guide our work, and we’re excited to keep sharing updates as we roll out new features. Stay tuned for more to come!

What’s Next With FACTS Student Information System?

Exciting enhancements are on the horizon for FACTS Student Information System! We’re actively developing new tools and features to make FACTS SIS more powerful, intuitive, and connected for schools. While these updates on our roadmap may take some time, we’re committed to sharing early insights and giving you a glimpse of what’s to come.

Want to share your thoughts or stay in the loop in the meantime? Join the conversation in FACTS^SPACE to connect with other FACTS SIS users and our development team.

Major Scheduling Enhancements Coming to FACTS SIS:
FACTS Student Information System is getting a comprehensive update to scheduling. Over the next year, we’ll roll out an updated interface to make scheduling more intuitive for school staff, added features such as teacher recommendations and the ability to mass update classes, and improvements to reporting to make it easier to manage scheduling conflicts and ensure your school scheduling is complete, along with other enhancements to courses and classes that make up a vital part of the school scheduling process. This will be an ongoing project, but we will release features as they become available!

We plan to roll out updates to scheduling in FACTS Student Information System in three phases:

• Phase 1 – Templates and Patterns Configuration Enhancements
• Phase 2 – Course Requests
• Phase 3 – Courses, Classes, and Rooms

Here is a sneak peek at some of the plans for Templates and Patterns!

New District Management Tool Coming to FACTS SIS:
For our dioceses and districts, we’re creating a new system within FACTS Student Information System to help you better manage all your schools. Our first focus will be migrating the functionality from our current DART system with a few new improvements and will continue to update with more robust functionality over the next couple years. Reporting, security, configuration, district wide IDs, and more are heading your way in FACTS SIS!

Updated Events Labels in FACTS Application & Enrollment:
You asked, we listened! Based on valuable feedback from schools and administrators in FACTS^SPACE, we have changed the default label in events from “Not interested” to “Not at this time.”

What’s Near With FACTS Application & Enrollment?

Inquiry Triggers Coming to the FACTS Email Series Manager:
Soon, we will add Inquiry Triggers into the FACTS Application & Enrollment Email Series Manager, allowing you to automate parent reach-out. This will include the option for parents to opt out of marketing emails, ensuring they have control over the communications they receive.

What’s Next With FACTS Application & Enrollment?

New Inquiry, Application Look, and Experience for FACTS Families:
We are modernizing the Inquiry and Application experience in FACTS Application & Enrollment! Over the next year, we will be transforming the look and feel of our platform to provide a more modern and visually appealing experience. But that’s not all—our focus is also on enhancing the experience for school administrators with improved, intuitive, and streamlined workflows. Expect a smoother, more efficient process that will make your interactions with FACTS Application & Enrollment easier and more enjoyable.

Here is a sneak peek at the design:

What’s New With FACTS Financial Aid Management?

New SIS Enrollment Status & New/Returning Status in Financial Aid Reports:
You can now add the FACTS Application & Enrollment Status and the New/Returning status from FACTS SIS directly into financial aid reports within FACTS Financial Aid Management! Whether you want to see how a family is progressing through their admissions process or quickly identify returning new to aid families, that information is now at your fingertips.

FACTS Financial Aid Now Has IRS Integration:
The new IRS integration feature in FACTS Financial Aid Management allows applicants to securely retrieve their tax transcripts directly from the IRS, eliminating the need to manually scan or upload financial documents. This not only streamlines the application process for families, but also reduces administrative work for schools and enhances data security. For more information, including a video and step by step brochure for families, go to: https://factsmgt.com/financial-aid-irs-integration/

FACTS Financial Aid Now Has Smarter Notices With Internal Tracking Field Tags:
FACTS Financial Aid Management notices, including award and denial letters, now offer expanded customization. You can add student-level internal tracking fields as smart tags, allowing for dynamic, personalized content within each notice.

New Remaining Need Reporting Field in FACTS Financial Aid:
A new remaining need reporting field has been added to FACTS Financial Aid Management custom reports. The remaining need reporting field is determined based on the FACTS calculated need minus any reserved awards for that student. This new field is available in any of the FACTS custom reports.

What’s Near With FACTS Financial Aid Management?

Enhanced Supplemental Document Options in FACTS:
Two exciting enhancements are on the way for the FACTS Financial Aid management supplemental document feature, which allows you to collect extra documents outside of the FACTS collected and reviewed tax documents.

Both enhancements add more options to conditionally request documents so only families needing those documents see them as a requirement. You will be able to conditionally request documents based on:

• Family Not Filing Taxes (DNF Status): Request documents from families not filing taxes, such as an attestation of non-filing.
• Internal Tracking Fields selection: This allows you to tie a document requirement to a checkbox or drop-down option for internal tracking, allowing you to add document requirements after reviewing a family’s submitted application. You will be able to leverage all the tools associated with internal tracking, such as being able to assign the documents in mass within reports.

Option to Turn Off W2 Wage Adjustment in FACTS:
Currently, FACTS Financial Aid Management automatically adjusts a family’s income based on the most recent W2 when paired with a prior year tax return. Some schools and administrators have requested the ability to turn off this automatic adjustment, allowing them to receive a more recent year’s W2 without it affecting the family’s assessment. This will now be an optional setting.

What’s Next With FACTS Financial Aid Management?

More IRS Integration Options in FACTS Financial Aid:
We’re continuing to improve IRS integration in FACTS Financial Aid Management. Soon, users will be able to get the most recent year tax return, W2s, and a co-applicant experience. We’ll release these as they become available. All of these retrieval options will be added to FACTS Financial Aid Management by September 2025.

Ability to Turn Off Tax Return Override in FACTS:
Currently, when FACTS receives the newest tax return from a family, FACTS Financial Aid Management automatically updates the assessment with the new values. However, some schools and organizations have requested the ability to still require the prior year tax return, even if the new return has been received, to keep all family data consistent with the same tax return year. This new feature will allow you to turn off the automatic override and maintain the requirement for the prior year tax return.

Internal Tracking Fields in FACTS Award Notification Reporting:
School administrators will be able to add internal tracking fields to the award and denial notification reporting in FACTS Financial Aid Management. This enhances the ability to sort and filter and assign the appropriate award and denial message for students.

Enhanced Experience for Returning Users in FACTS Financial Aid:
FACTS Financial Aid Management currently streamlines some of the application experience for returning families by prefilling demographic and student information (including automatically increasing the student’s grade), but we are always looking at families’ experiences and thinking of how we can make it even better. This project will be a multi-phase initiative, so we will keep you updated on our plans and progress.

What’s New With FACTS Payment Plans & Billing?

Mass Corrections for FACTS Payment Plan Agreements:
In FACTS Payment Plans & Billing, schools now have the ability to post payment plan corrections for multiple agreements in one mass balance adjustment process rather than entering them all individually. A mass correction can be entered when a user selects agreements and is in open column entry mode. Users will be given two different mass correction options: charge correction or credit correction.

What’s Near With FACTS Payment Plans & Billing?

Record Third-Party Payments at the Institution Level:
FACTS Payment Plans & Billing is getting the ability to record a Payment at Institution from a third party, such as payments from school choice programs. This will give schools better reporting on the money received from school choice programs and ensure the parents’ payment summary is accurate, as it will not include these payments.

What’s Next With Payment Plans & Billing?

Auto-Replenish for Prepay Accounts in FACTS:
FACTS Payment Plans & Billing will get the added ability for families to have their Prepay Account automatically refreshed from a saved account when the balance reaches a certain threshold. Love this idea and want the most up-to-date news? “Like” the idea in FACTS^SPACE and you’ll be among the first to know!

Mass Transfer of Funds & Credits:
We are excited to announce that FACTS Payment Plans & Billing will get the added capability to transfer funds and credits in mass. Previously, we introduced this feature for balances due and received valuable feedback indicating a need for similar functionality for funds and credits.

Your school management software is your school’s engine room, so choosing whether to host it on-premises or in the cloud is a significant decision. Hosted school management systems (SMS) are becoming more popular as decision-makers see the value in shifting from traditional, server-bound solutions to flexible, internet-based platforms.

This blog explores five reasons why a hosted school management systems is a smart choice for schools in 2025 and beyond.

Managing your school’s SMS on site requires a large initial and ongoing investment in IT infrastructure. These servers and data storage facilities are expensive to buy, require regular maintenance and upgrades, and should be replaced every 3-5 years.

With a hosted school management system, the software provider takes care of the IT expenditure and complex technology tasks. Schools pay a subscription to use the platform and can scale up or down as required, eliminating SMS-related capital expenditure and providing cost certainty. In this way, using a cloud-hosted school management system will strengthen your school’s cash flow management.

With cyber threats continually on the rise and the education sector a popular target for cybercriminals, it’s crucial that schools protect sensitive student, family and payment information with robust data security measures. While some schools have the expertise and resources needed to manage this in-house, most are unable to provide an equivalent level of security to cloud-based solutions.

A hosted SMS is one of the most secure ways to collect and store data. Platforms like FACTS School Management offer multiple layers of security to keep your school’s information safe, ensure only authorised users can access the system, and proactively monitor for unusual activity that may signal a cyberattack. FACTS is hosted on Microsoft Azure and is protected by Cloudflare.

Transitioning to a hosted school management system relieves pressure on your IT department. With specialist external teams handling server maintenance, upgrades, security patches, backups and monitoring, your IT resources can prioritise more strategic tasks. Rather than getting bogged down in the day-to-day of infrastructure management, they can focus on opportunities to leverage technology to drive efficiency and boost learning outcomes across your school.

Cloud-based school management software lets staff, students and families access information from anywhere, anytime, via a secure login.

Whether teachers are writing reports from home, taking attendance remotely during an excursion or camp, or checking a student’s medical information during an offsite swimming carnival, they’ll have access to up-to-date information, and their changes will be reflected in the system in real time. Likewise, students can access homework, assignments and study materials wherever they are.

One of the most significant advantages of a hosted SMS is its scalability. As your school grows or needs change, cloud-based systems can flex to accommodate more users, faster bandwidth, or greater data storage requirements.

By paying only for the services and resources your school needs right now, you can avoid spending more than necessary on systems and equipment to support future needs, such as growing enrolments.

Hosted school management systems like FACTS offer a flexible, secure and scalable solution to schools looking to reduce the cost, complexity and risk of their operations. By choosing a cloud-based SMS, schools can spend less time and money managing complex IT infrastructure and focus instead on elevating the education experience.

We know that managing school data across multiple systems can feel like an uphill battle – which is why we recently hosted a webinar for FACTS schools to explore how seamless data integration can drive better outcomes for students, educators, and administrators alike.

Hosted by our Directors of Software Development, Jeff Fry and Brittany Wilson, the webinar broke down what data interoperability really means, why it matters, and how schools can benefit from a well-integrated ed-tech ecosystem. Here’s a quick recap of the key takeaways from the discussion.

What Is Data Interoperability?

At its core, data interoperability refers to the ability of different systems and software to communicate and share information in a standardized and meaningful way. In a school setting, this means that student information, enrollment details, financial aid records, and academic performance data can flow seamlessly between platforms without requiring tedious manual entry or reconciliation.

Without interoperability, schools often face discrepancies in data reporting. For example, one system might list 152 enrolled students while another lists 160 – creating unnecessary confusion and extra work to align the numbers. When data is interoperable, these inconsistencies are minimized, and administrators can focus on making informed decisions rather than troubleshooting mismatched records.

The Benefits of Interoperable Data

Data interoperability isn’t just about convenience; it’s a game-changer for schools looking to enhance collaboration, improve efficiency, and personalize learning. Some of the key benefits discussed in the webinar include:

Seamless Collaboration: When departments across a school or district have access to the same accurate data, communication and decision-making become much more efficient.

Personalized Learning Experiences: With integrated data, educators can tailor instruction based on a holistic view of student performance, attendance, and engagement.

Efficiency and Cost Savings: Reducing manual data entry and reconciliation efforts means less time spent on administrative work and more resources directed toward student success.

Data-Driven Decision Making: Schools can leverage data dashboards and insights to track trends, monitor student progress, and make informed strategic decisions.

FACTS’ Commitment to Interoperability

FACTS is continuously enhancing our product suite to improve data integration. In the webinar, Jeff and Brittany highlighted several initiatives we’re working on, including:

– OneRoster integration to streamline data exchange between systems.

– An external developer portal offering API-based access to school data.

– Ed-Fi certification for FACTS SIS, aligning our platform with industry-wide data standards.

– Advanced reporting solutions, including our new Data Insights product and Dashboard Builder powered by Power BI, providing administrators with easy-to-use visual data tools.

These advancements are designed to ensure that schools using FACTS can seamlessly access and utilize their data, making their operations smoother and more effective.

See Interoperability in Action

During the webinar, we also shared a sneak peek at our Data Insights dashboards, which help schools visualize key metrics like enrollment trends, financial aid distribution, student demographics, and more. By integrating data from multiple sources, these tools empower schools to make smarter, data-driven decisions.

Want to dive deeper into how data interoperability can transform your school’s operations?

Watch the full webinar on-demand to explore these concepts in greater detail and see firsthand how FACTS is leading the charge in data integration for K-12 education.

With data breaches on the rise in K-12 education, the team here at FACTS knows it’s more important than ever to ensure that our schools feel their information is protected. As part of our commitment to data security, FACTS IT Director – Cybersecurity Erik Brown recently led an insightful webinar discussing evolving cybersecurity threats to K-12 education, new strategies from attackers, how schools remain vulnerable to risks, and ways you can make cybersecurity a more significant part of your school’s day-to-day activities.

Understanding the importance of protecting your school’s data is the first step in creating a safe space. Let’s recap what was covered in this webinar and how to discover what threats are lurking for K-12 institutions – and how you can establish a process that lowers risk and gives everyone at your school peace of mind.

Cybersecurity Challenges Schools Face

K-12 systems host a wide range of valuable data for attackers on the dark web. Your students, staff, and parents’ personal identifiable information (PII) are in high demand, and ensuring your cybersecurity system is ready to handle incoming attacks is a necessity. However, every school faces challenges beyond online attacks that make it difficult to keep your school’s information safe.

Some of the most prominent challenges schools may face when it comes to securing their data from attackers are:

• Staffing: Many schools lack a dedicated cybersecurity team or don’t have a large enough team to tackle an influx of cybersecurity attacks. With staffing shortages, it becomes even more challenging for some schools to maintain a full and robust team of cybersecurity professionals.
• Exploitation: Exploited vulnerabilities make up 29% of the cybersecurity compromise rate. Your faculty and staff are busy and may become overwhelmed, and attackers may take advantage of these vulnerabilities with targeted cyberattacks.
• Budget Issues: While the industry-standard budget for cybersecurity is 5-8%, K-12 institutions set less than 1% of the IT budget for cybersecurity on average, giving schools fewer resources to get the security systems they need.

These internal issues only enhance the risks and boost those safety concerns. Combined with other external factors, managing your school’s cybersecurity becomes more complicated.

The Ransomware Surge

On top of school-wide issues when it comes to cybersecurity, ransomware attacks on educational institutions have become even more prominent, especially gaining attention in May and June of 2023. Even with the takedown of ransomware attackers like Lockbit and Rhysida, these pressures remain.

As ransomware continues to be an issue for educational institutions everywhere, developing your cybersecurity system to combat these attacks is crucial.

Navigating the Risks

Throughout the webinar, listeners were able to learn about how cybersecurity is a critical factor in protecting your school and how schools may struggle with it. Now, it’s time to take your school toward a safer future with better cybersecurity tools and practices.

Make cybersecurity a bigger priority for your school and enhance training and education to keep everyone aware, engaged, and ready to help protect your school from unwanted cyberattacks.

Explore our other webinars for more on cybersecurity and to learn more about how FACTS is your resource for thought leadership in K-12 education.