ADE Director's Communication Memo Form


Memo Number : RT-06-013

Date Created : 04/28/2006

Attention:

Superintendents
Co-op Directors
Secondary Principals
Elementary Principals
Middle School Principals
High School Principals

Type of Memo: Informational
Response Required: No
   
Section:   Research and Technology - Mr. James Boardman, Assistant Commissioner
Subject:
Electronic Transcript System

Regulatory Authority:
N/A

Contact Person:
James Boardman

Phone Number:
501-371-5005

E-mail:
jboardman@arkedu.k12.ar.us

Arkansas Code 6-80-107 requires the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to prescribe a uniform method of formatting transcripts. The transcripts are to be transmitted electronically to the Department of Higher Education.

Beginning next school year, the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education will be providing access to an electronic transcript system to all public schools in Arkansas. This system will allow schools in Arkansas to send electronic transcripts between districts, to institutions of higher education, and to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education. This Web based system will allow almost instant access to designated academic information which will improve academic placement for students transferring between districts as well as facilitating the determination of student eligibility for financial aid and college admission. The Arkansas Department of Education has contracted with Triand, a company that specializes in providing electronic transcripts for school districts throughout the nation. Additional information about Triand and available services can be found at http://triand.com.

In order to implement the electronic transcript system, training will begin this summer for local district staff. Two key staff roles will be identified for training purposes. The first role will be that of the district’s authorizing agent for users needing access to the system. Since each district's APSCN Administrator already has access to the school’s respective data, the administrator will become that district's initial person to approve other users of the system. The administrator will also designate the level of information available to the authorized individuals. The authorizing agent must have a valid school e-mail account.

The second role will be that of the school registrar. The school registrar will be able to send and request student transcripts. A school may select more than one individual as a registrar. School registrars will be selected by the school administration and authorized by the district’s authorizing agent.

The information contained within the electronic transcripts is subject to regulation under COPPA, FERPA, and HIPAA. It is important that districts safeguard access to this data and only permit access on a 'right to know' and 'need to know' basis. There are other services for school administrators and teachers that are provided by Triand that schools may eventually choose to use. So authorization and training for staff will continue to be an important concern for all those involved with this electronic transcript system.

Training for authorizing agents will begin in May and will be conducted on a continuing basis. More information regarding training opportunities will be made available later. Additional district staff and school administrators are invited to attend training opportunities to better understand the system and begin making decisions regarding access and use of the system.

Attachments:
    None

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