Alief ISD Adds Mobile App To Augment Student Information System

  • By Sharleen Nelson
  • 09/09/13

Alief Independent School District (AISD) will provide mobile access to parents and faculty across the southwest Houston, TX school district.

For the mobile access project, the district has commissioned WillowTree Apps' Mobile Education Platform to design iPhone and Android applications that will allow parents of students attending schools in the Alief ISD to access essential school and student information.

To cut costs, the customizable, mobile education apps will be integrated into the district's existing student information system (SIS) platform.  Parents and faculty will be able to access information such as the campus directory, staff listings, the school calendar, lunch menus and meal payment system, and real-time news, alerts, and notifications. The mobile apps will also alert users to emergency information such as severe weather and school closings.

"Recognizing that increased parental and student engagement is critical to the success of any school or student today, one of the five priorities adopted by the board of trustees for this school year includes the innovative use of technology. We want to give our parents a simple and fast way to access the information that lets them keep up with their student and become an active part of their school. Today, that means mobile access," said Doug Brown, director of management information systems at AISD, in a prepared statement. "WillowTree is creating apps that our parents, students and community will rely on for quick and easy access to the latest happenings in our district and schools. WillowTree's solutions use the technology infrastructure that we already have in place, allowing us to leverage our current investments in new and exciting ways."

Alief Independent School District covers 36.6 square miles of land, including a small portion of southwest Houston and parts of unincorporated Harris County. The district serves more than 45,000 students in grades preK-12 at 24 elementary schools, six intermediate schools, six middle schools, and five high schools. The district's annual operating budget is approximately $400 million.

To learn more about WillowTree Apps, visit willowtreeapps.com.

About the Author

Sharleen Nelson is a freelance journalist based in Springfield, Oregon. She can be reached at [email protected].

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