SchoolTool is a
GPL
The GNU General Public License (GNU GPL or simply GPL) is a series of widely used free software licenses that guarantee end users the four freedoms to run, study, share, and modify the software. The license was the first copyleft for general u ...
licensed, free
student information system for schools around the world. The goals of the project are to create a simple turnkey student information system, including demographics, gradebook, attendance, calendaring and reporting for primary and secondary schools, as well as a framework for building customized applications and configurations for individual schools or states.
SchoolTool is built as a
free software
Free software or libre software is computer software distributed under terms that allow users to run the software for any purpose as well as to study, change, and distribute it and any adapted versions. Free software is a matter of liberty, no ...
/
open source software stack, licensed under the
GNU
GNU () is an extensive collection of free software (383 packages as of January 2022), which can be used as an operating system or can be used in parts with other operating systems. The use of the completed GNU tools led to the family of operat ...
General Public License, Version 2, written in
Python
Python may refer to:
Snakes
* Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia
** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia
* Python (mythology), a mythical serpent
Computing
* Python (pro ...
using the
Zope
Zope is a family of free and open-source web application servers written in Python, and their associated online community. Zope stands for "Z Object Publishing Environment", and was the first system using the now common object publishing methodol ...
3 framework.
The sub-projects of School Tool are as follows:
* The SchoolTool Calendar and SchoolBell are calendar and resource management tools for schools available as part of the
Edubuntu Linux distribution.
* A SchoolTool student information system is being developed and tested in collaboration with schools
* CanDo is a SchoolTool-based skills tracking program developed by
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
students and teachers to track which skills students are acquiring in their classes and at what level of competency.
SchoolTool is configured by default to act as what is often called a
student information system or SIS. The focus is on tracking information related to students: demographics, enrollment grades, attendance, reporting. It is a subset of a complete "management information system" (MIS) for schools, which might also cover systems like accounting.
SchoolTool is not a
learning management system
A learning management system (LMS) is a software application for the administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, automation, and delivery of educational courses, training programs, materials or learning and development programs. The lear ...
, or LMS, such as
Moodle
Moodle is a free and open-source learning management system written in PHP and distributed under the GNU General Public License. Moodle is used for blended learning, distance education, flipped classroom and other online learning projects in s ...
, although they share some overlapping feature sets, such as a gradebook. SchoolTool does not contain curriculum or learning objects.
A post on the product news page in October 2016 titled "The Future of SIELibre and SchoolTool" indicates that the primary SchoolTool developers of have moved on to other things. This was accompanied by a google document explaining the decision and thanking contributors for their efforts.
SchoolTool Features
* Customizable demographics;
* Student contact management;
* Calendars for the school, groups, and individuals;
* Resource booking;
* Teacher gradebooks;
* Class attendance;
* Report card generation.
See also
* OpenEMIS
* Enterprise Application Integration
* Open Knowledge Initiative
* Web services
* FET (timetabling software), FET
References
External links
Website
2004 software
Edubuntu
Educational software
Cross-platform free software
Free educational software
Free content management systems
Free software programmed in Python
School-administration software
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