Tag Archives: All in one school system

The Power of a Connected School System

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Schools across the country are catching their breath after a fast-moving, complex, and unpredictable 2025. The challenges were real: staffing shortages, rising special-education demands, increasingly complex compliance requirements, new cybersecurity expectations, and growing pressure to deliver personalized learning in environments where time and resources are already stretched thin.

But in the midst of it all, districts made meaningful progress. And universally, one theme stood out clearly this year: Schools that thrived the most were the ones that viewed the student journey as a connected whole and adopted systems to support that journey from end to end.

For years, student data has been fragmented, with one system being used for grades and assessment. And another for health and attendance. Another for IEPs. Another for communication. And on it went. Each tool solved a problem, but on the whole, the situation could only be described as controlled chaos.

The True Value of Connection

Districts have increasingly realized that supporting a student is not merely a series of disconnected actions. It’s a continuum, one that spans from enrollment all the way to graduation and beyond. And every part of that continuum matters:

  • A missed health alert affects attendance.
  • A missing IEP document impacts classroom support.
  • A communication gap can cause frustration among team members.
  • A siloed grading system makes early intervention virtually impossible.
  • A delay in compliance reporting can lead to legal and financial risks.

Schools that struggled this year weren’t suffering due to a lack of effort. Their struggles were largely attributed to an overabundance of tools that spoke different languages, each one adding another layer of complexity for staff already stretched too thin.

Meanwhile, districts with connected systems saw a different story emerging, in which there was less paperwork, considerable insight, improved collaboration, and timely interventions. These districts also experienced stronger family engagement and clearer visibility into each student’s whole experience.

The ability to achieve this level of connection is not realized simply by employing technology for technology’s sake. Districts that strive to enjoy success in this regard must embrace the concept of a single enterprise management system that supports every part of the district, from the teacher who needs the overarching story about a student to help ensure their academic success, to the superintendent who needs to pull and organize cohesive data that they can share with the school board.

What Schools Will Need in 2026 and Beyond

As districts plan for the year ahead, several priorities are already rising to the top:

Stronger data integration across the student lifecycle: Multiple overlapping systems with inconsistent data are no longer sustainable. In the future, districts will increasingly consolidate their technology stacks.

A renewed focus on whole-student support: Mental health concerns, chronic absenteeism, and growing special education needs demand early identification, coordinated intervention, and clear documentation, all of which depend on unified data.

Improved cybersecurity and data transparency: Families and government agencies expect clarity on how student data is collected, protected, and used. Districts will need platforms that meet modern security standards without adding complexity.

Spare time for teachers and staff: Burnout remains a real threat. Systems that streamline reporting, automate routine tasks, and eliminate duplicate entry will become essential for retaining and supporting educators.

Decision-ready dashboards that actually empower leaders: Superintendents do not need another spreadsheet; they need real-time, consolidated information. Actionable dashboards will be critical for strategic planning and resource allocation.

Why an All-in-One Enterprise System Is No Longer Optional

This year proved a simple truth: Every disconnected tool adds friction. Every connected system adds capacity.

Districts aren’t seeking more features. They’re seeking fewer obstacles, and they want tools that reduce administrative burden, not increase it. They need connected systems that simultaneously serve teachers, support staff, administrators, and families. And most importantly, they need confidence that no student will fall through the cracks because their data lives in too many places.

When we begin connecting data, we begin empowering educators. When we empower educators, we empower students. When students are empowered, communities thrive.

Here’s to a future where systems are simpler, data is clearer, educators are supported, and every student has what they need to succeed every step of the way.

Why Do Schools Choose Lumen Touch?

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There are several all-in-one school systems from which school districts can choose, but time and again, schools choose Lumen Touch. Here are a few reasons why:

“Our district has used Lumen since 2006. I have held several different roles within our district and have utilized many areas within the Lumen SIS system. The Lumen team has always provided exceptional support. Their staff is knowledgeable not only about their SIS system, but also in areas important to the educational system. It has always been comforting to know they are in constant communication with the State Department and are informed and prepared for the ever changing world of education. Lumen works in partnership with the districts utilizing their program–making the program better and better as the years progress. Keeping the system user friendly while reporting data in an efficient and practical manner makes the program one of the best.”

-Dayna Barber, Cassville R-IV School District

Ongoing Support

When you choose Lumen Touch as your all-in-one school system, our team becomes part of your team. We work closely with your staff to provide intensive training and on-site support, consistently working to make platform updates that your school will find valuable.

“As we evaluated SIS vendors, we knew that it was going to be a chore no matter who was selected. All the systems were great, but we felt Lumen Touch listened and heard us on our district needs. Through the implementation process, the more we learned about the system the more we appreciated how much it has to offer our teachers, students, and community. Our connection with their entire team made us feel like a valued partner from the start. We have shared our experience with other districts recently in user groups. We’d encourage a district exploring other options to make sure Lumen Touch is one that you look at.”

-Debbie Hulsey, Sullivan School District

Limitless Resources for Teachers

Lumen Touch’s Bright RESOURCE integrated library system works seamlessly with your learning management system to manage resources for students and staff.  Accessible by PC, MAC, laptop, desktop, iPad, or other tablet, we can facilitate a quick and easy conversion from your existing library system, complete with an inventory management system that allows districts to create lists, scan items, generate reports, manage library fees for overdue books, and manage other items the library may lend out, including equipment, electronics, and supplies.

From the ability to look up books from home to the circulation desk features, this all-encompassing tool has been a real asset to our district. We have used an automated circulation system for years but could not afford the new product – along came Lumen with an integrated library system that works seamlessly with our current Lumen Student Management system. Lumen converted our current records in one day and had us up and running with our entire inventory intact. We also asked for specific searches and criteria in the system and Lumen added those features to ensure the data tracking and sorting we needed.

Kim Sheese, Mercer Co., Illinois

Continuous Improvement

At Lumen Touch, we’re never satisfied. We are always striving to find ways to provide more to our districts, whether it’s a new service, enhancements to existing modules, or customizations that make the system even more effective.

I would like to say that Lumen has been a lifesaver for the Fair Grove District. We switched to Lumen from another vendor at the end of the first semester several years ago due to issues with that vendor. I believe Lumen is the best student information system available. They do not accept the status quo; they listen to school district needs and desires and are always looking for ways to provide enhancements they believe will benefit school districts. When you need help immediately, there is always a voice on the other end to assist you. Once, when I had an urgent need, I watched three programmers log into our system to solve the issue; all I can say is WOW. That personal, and professional, touch won me over as a lifetime user of Lumen. I guess you could say I am one of their biggest cheerleaders. Thanks, Lumen, for an awesome system and service.

Julie Swadley, Instructional Technology Specialist, Fair Grove R-X School District

We Save Schools Time and Money

In every case study we have conducted, school districts that have switched to Lumen Touch have saved tens of thousands of dollars. In some cases, our included audits have saved districts hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Not many companies can boast about having a single-platform solution like Lumen Touch that responds to the customer and market demands, that decreases the cost of a comprehensive digital platform in a time of financial crisis and provides the security in a world of cyber insecurity.”

-Rob Landers, The School District of Washington
Why Lumen Touch

Affording Technology in Education

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We know that technology in education enhances learning and can be beneficial for both students and educators. The right technology can also provide district leaders with insights that help them to achieve better outcomes – both with students’ quality of education and with teacher hiring and retention. The biggest barrier? The perception that the cost of technology is too expensive to be worth the investment.

Lumen™ Touch’s Bright SUITE™ Makes Technology in Education Affordable

There are multiple ways in which Lumen Touch’s all-in-one school system, Bright SUITE, can help a district afford the cost of technology in education.

Measurable Financial Savings

In a recent case study that we conducted with a mid-size school district implementing Bright SUITE, the district realized actual savings of $32,000 annually. While every district’s budget is different, the average savings for a district implementing Bright SUITE is 30%, in addition to reduced attrition.

Happier Teachers

Attracting and retaining educators is a costly and time-consuming process for districts. Bright SUITE has a measurable impact in terms of reducing attrition. The all-in-one school system creates efficiencies that help teachers with routine tasks and allow them to focus on the one task that attracted them to the field in the first place: teaching. School districts experience improved loyalty and lower turnover when the right technology is in place to support teachers and make their jobs more efficient.

Increased Administrative Efficiency

Inventory management, attendance processing, and data reporting are all managed within the system, offering administrative efficiencies that save time and money. With better access to real-time data, district leaders are able to make quicker, more strategic decisions that improve the way their schools operate.

Improved Education Experience

Interactive assessment tools allow teachers to dedicate more time to helping students one-on-one. With the ability to automate processes and provide immediate feedback, teachers can improve the quality of education for students. The time savings afforded to teachers is almost immeasurable.

Accessible Anywhere

Lumen Touch prides itself on providing school districts with an all-in-one solution that can be accessed anywhere, any time, on any device. We strive to connect all students to opportunities, and this means that our system has to be accommodating of the latest technological advances. As a result, our system is web-based in order to serve as many students as possible on a number of devices, and our team is readily available for training, implementation, and customizations that make the system work the way in which each individual district needs.

Don’t just take our word for it:

Lumen Touch has been a lifesaver for the Fair Grove District. We switched to Lumen Touch from another vendor at the end of the first semester several years ago due to issues with that vendor. I believe Lumen Touch is the best student information system available. They do not accept status quo; they listen to school district needs and desires and are always looking for ways to provide enhancements they believe will benefit school districts. When you need help immediately, there is always a voice on the other end to assist you. Once, when I had an urgent need, I watched three programmers log into our system to solve the issue; all I can say is WOW. That personal and professional touch won me over as a lifetime user of Lumen Touch. I guess you could say I am one of their biggest cheerleaders. Thanks Lumen Touch for an awesome system and service.

– Julie Swadley, Instructional Technology Specialist, Fair Grove R-X school District

Technology in education is the future of learning, but there’s no reason it has to break the budget.

Learn more: https://www.lumentouch.com/

How an All-in-One School System Helps K-12 Education

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Like an SIS on steroids, an all-in-one school system is the framework for an entire educational operation, freeing time for virtually every person who has a role to play in education from some of the minutia of running a school. Not only does an all-in-one school system enhance the process of educating K-12 students, but it can also save districts money through efficiency, consistency, and having an abundance of robust data in one place.

Benefits of an All-in-One School System

Providing K-12 students with a well-rounded education presents a variety of challenges that run the gamut of individual requirements, from unique health concerns and diverse backgrounds to different learning abilities and speeds. Yet students are put into classrooms, for the most part, based on nothing more than being in the same grade, putting pressure on educators to teach to a disparate group while also meeting district and state curriculum standards.

Lumen™ Touch is committed to providing best-in-class solutions to schools and school districts, making it easier to support teachers, students, families, and communities. Our ongoing mission is to revolutionize K-12 education. Lumen Touch’s Bright SUITE™ is a one-stop-shop for schools, incorporating everything a district needs, from a learning management system to student information systems to health-and-safety monitoring and reporting. An all-in-one school system like Bright SUITE can support the teaching process in the following ways:

Consistency

An all-in-one school system can ensure that students receive a consistent and high-quality education throughout their K-12 journey. Not only can the system track their progress from one grade to another, but it gives a complete picture of the student, including health, behavioral information, and gaps in achievement.

Collaboration

One of the additional benefits teachers can realize with an all-in-one system is improved collaboration. Teachers can share resources, lesson plans, and ideas – not only throughout their own school but with other schools as well.  The system also provides a centralized location for teachers to organize and store course materials, such as lecture notes, assignments, and multimedia resources, making it easier for students to access and review course content from any location.

Personalized Learning

Teachers can leverage the technology and data available in the learning management system to help meet the needs of students through individualized learning. While there is a SPED component to the all-in-one solution, the technology provides teachers with tools to differentiate instruction and personalize learning for all students. Teachers can assign different tasks, provide additional resources, and monitor progress, to provide targeted support for students who need it. It can be used to help students work at their own pace, pursue learning that is meaningful to them on an individual basis, and remain engaged.

Streamlined Communication

An all-in-one school system comes with a communication component that makes communicating with parents, teachers, and students easier. It improves parent engagement and promotes parental involvement in their students’ education. Our parent portal within the system allows for parents to stay current in to the health, nutrition, behavior, and academic performance of their students.  Parents can even schedule conferences with teachers. Communication is also documented for teachers and administrators, so everyone is in the know. This can help to improve student engagement and encourage more thoughtful and reflective responses.

Efficiency

The administrative tasks that divert teachers’ attention away from the actual function of teaching – grading, scheduling, attendance tracking, testing – can all be done through the Instructor Suite. This benefit frees teachers’ time and allows them to focus on teaching and student engagement. The Instructor Suite also allows teachers to create and distribute assignments online, which can be submitted electronically by students. This helps teachers to track students’ progress and provide feedback in a timely manner. It will also show teachers if the student has a 504 or an IEP, any health issues, such as allergies or asthma, and associated accommodations.

Why Lumen Touch

With special modules for special education, a full library, and modules for individual user data dashboards, Bright SUITE is an all-in-one enterprise management solution that allows districts to save money, improve student retention, and create a secure and connected school district. Access to real-time data lets educators make the best decisions for all students. Learn more.