Alma SIS
Alma SIS is a modern student information system that streamlines school operations by combining student data management, automated reporting, and family communication into one intuitive cloud-based platform.
openSIS
openSIS is a scalable student information system that helps you manage student demographics, scheduling, attendance, and grading through a secure, open-source platform designed for modern educational institutions.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Alma SIS | openSIS |
|---|---|---|
| Website | alma.com | openSIS.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2012 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Portland, USA | Princeton, USA |
Overview
Alma SIS
Alma SIS provides a modern, cloud-based foundation for your school's daily operations. You can manage the entire student lifecycle from enrollment and attendance to grading and graduation tracking within a single, clean interface. It eliminates data silos by connecting teachers, administrators, and families in real-time, ensuring everyone has the information they need to support student success.
You can automate complex state reporting tasks and simplify scheduling with flexible tools designed for K-12 environments. Whether you manage a single charter school or a large multi-school district, the platform scales to meet your specific compliance and communication needs. It helps you reclaim time spent on paperwork so you can focus more on instructional leadership and student outcomes.
openSIS
openSIS is a flexible student information system designed to help you streamline school operations and improve student outcomes. Whether you manage a single K-12 school, a large district, or a higher education institution, you can centralize student demographics, contact information, and medical records in one secure database. The platform eliminates manual paperwork by automating core administrative tasks like attendance tracking, gradebook management, and report card generation.
You can customize the software to fit your specific institutional needs thanks to its open-source foundation and modular architecture. It bridges the gap between administrators, teachers, and parents by providing real-time access to student progress and school announcements. By moving your data to this unified system, you reduce administrative overhead and ensure that your staff can focus more on teaching and less on data entry.
Overview
Alma SIS Features
- Student Profiles Access comprehensive student data including demographics, medical alerts, and academic history from a single, centralized dashboard.
- Automated State Reporting Generate accurate compliance reports automatically to meet state requirements and secure your school's essential funding.
- Parent & Student Portals Keep families engaged by providing real-time access to grades, attendance records, and direct teacher messaging.
- Advanced Gradebook Support traditional or standards-based grading models with flexible tools that adapt to your specific instructional approach.
- Master Scheduler Build complex school schedules easily while managing teacher availability, room constraints, and student course requests.
- Admissions & Enrollment Transition to paperless registration with online forms that feed data directly into your student information system.
openSIS Features
- Student Demographics. Manage student profiles, emergency contacts, and medical records in a centralized database for quick and easy access.
- Attendance Tracking. Record daily or period-based attendance and generate automatic reports to monitor student participation and trends.
- Gradebook Management. Set up custom grading scales and weighted assignments so you can calculate final marks and generate report cards instantly.
- Scheduling Engine. Create complex school schedules and assign students to classes while automatically checking for room and teacher conflicts.
- Parent & Student Portals. Give parents and students secure logins to view grades, attendance history, and school news from any web browser.
- Discipline Tracking. Log behavioral incidents and track disciplinary actions to maintain a safe and productive learning environment for everyone.
Pricing Comparison
Alma SIS Pricing
openSIS Pricing
- Open-source core
- Student demographics
- Scheduling & Attendance
- Gradebook & Reports
- Self-hosted deployment
- Community-based support
- Everything in Community, plus:
- Fully managed cloud hosting
- Up to 100 students included
- Automatic daily backups
- Email and chat support
- Standard security updates
Pros & Cons
Alma SIS
Pros
- Modern and intuitive interface is easy to navigate
- Excellent customer support with responsive technical assistance
- Simplifies complex state reporting and compliance tasks
- Seamless transition between traditional and standards-based grading
- Strong communication tools for parent and student engagement
Cons
- Initial setup and data migration can be time-consuming
- Report customization options can feel limited for advanced users
- Occasional slow load times during peak grading periods
openSIS
Pros
- Open-source core allows for extensive custom modifications
- Cost-effective alternative to expensive enterprise school systems
- User-friendly interface simplifies daily teacher data entry
- Comprehensive reporting tools meet most state requirements
Cons
- Self-hosted version requires significant technical expertise
- Mobile experience is less polished than desktop
- Advanced features often require paid professional services