Starting a new school is exciting – vision-setting, community-building, policy-writing, logo-picking… and then, at some point, someone says, “So… how are we going to track students?”

Here’s the short version: don’t start with spreadsheets.

Yes, they feel familiar. Yes, they’re “free.” But if you’re serious about building a school that functions smoothly, supports staff, and scales with your goals, you need a real student information system (SIS) from the start.

4 reasons why you shouldn’t start on spreadsheets:

• ✖️ You’ll outgrow them before the year ends. What starts as a clever tab system turns into 12 duplicate files and a series of mistakes no one will own.
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• ✖️ You’ll waste time instead of saving it. Data errors, outdated contact info, and missed enrollments will eat hours (and your patience.)
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• ✖️ You’ll struggle to attract strong staff. Great teachers want tools that work. A school running its operations on spreadsheets sends a message, and it’s not “we’re organized.”
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• ✖️ You’ll set a shaky foundation. It’s much harder to untangle bad systems than to start with the right ones. A SIS isn’t just a digital filing cabinet – it’s the system that holds your school together.
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What should your SIS give your school from day one?

• 👉 Student enrollment and registration
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• 👉 Real-time attendance
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• 👉 Communication with families
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• 👉 Gradebooks and progress tracking
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• 👉 Transcripts and report cards
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• 👉 Staff and user roles
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• 👉 Security and permissions
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• 👉 Compliance reporting
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• 👉 And, critically, room to grow
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Modern SIS platforms (like Alma) also offer multi-language support, messaging tools, curriculum sharing, and built-in flexibility for your evolving needs.

SIS cost: What to expect, and why “cheap” is a red flag

Sticker shock is real – but here’s what’s more expensive: rebuilding your systems later, replacing broken tools, retraining staff, and losing time you can’t get back.

Here’s what to expect when it comes to cost:

• 🚩 Yes, a SIS will cost money. It should. You’re buying long-term infrastructure – not a quick fix.
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• 🚩 You get what you pay for. A SIS that seems too good to be true usually is. Hidden fees, lack of support, limited features all add up fast.
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• 🚩 Free platforms cost in other ways. Time, functionality, and stability are all part of the price, even if they don’t show up on an invoice.
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• 🚩 Good SIS partners scale with you. A system that grows with your enrollment, curriculum model, and compliance needs will save you time, stress, and budget headaches in year two, three, and beyond.
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Checklist: Before choosing a SIS, ask yourself…

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• ✅ Are we planning to grow, and is this system ready to grow with us?
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• ✅ Can our staff easily learn and use this tool?
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• ✅ Does the platform support the kind of school culture we’re building?
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• ✅ What support will we receive before, during, and after launch?
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• ✅ How often does the SIS release updates or respond to user feedback?
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• ✅ Are we getting true long-term value, or just short-term convenience?
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Final word: Start strong, stay in control, and stress less

Your SIS decision will impact everything – not just operations, but culture, morale, and how it feels to work at your school. Starting with the right platform isn’t a luxury – it’s a foundation.

It’s tempting to delay or save money in the short term. But the most successful schools don’t wait until they’re overwhelmed to invest in the right tools. They build smart from day one.

You only get one “first year.” Make it count.