Teacher Absenteeism Problem Reduced with eSchool Solutions' StaffCenter

For Immediate Release      
Contact: Scott Lindeman
407) 835-9899 ext. 217
slindeman@eschoolsolutions.com

StaffCenter from eSchool Solutions Addresses PreK-12 Teacher Absentee Problem

Orlando, FL -- February 5, 2001 -- One of the major issues school districts face today is teacher absenteeism. The increased need to provide teachers leave for staff development and the difficulty finding substitutes is putting a strain on school district resources. In response, eSchool Solutions announces the release of StaffCenter v1.0, the Application Service Provider (ASP) version of its widely used Substitute Employee Management System (SEMS).

Successfully used in more than 500 school systems in North America for more than a decade, SEMS utilizes Interactive Voice Response (IVR)-based technology to automate the process of substitute scheduling. The StaffCenter ASP release, a dual web-based and IVR application, qualifies and selects the best substitutes for the classroom, completes the scheduling process and updates district administration on employee absences. It interfaces with most payroll and human resources systems, eliminating duplicate entry of data.

As an ASP, StaffCenter eliminates the need for districts to buy and maintain expensive hardware for data warehousing and allows medium- and small-sized districts to enjoy the same benefits their larger counterparts have had for several years. The ASP design also provides districts the immediate benefit of updates and upgrades without scheduling on-site technical assistance.

Over 90% of the nations districts are concerned with the substitute teacher shortage. Not surprising, since the average district faces up to 10% absenteeism each day. By using data from StaffCenter, districts will be able to recruit more substitutes and better manage teacher absences.

The expense of teacher absenteeism is significant," comments eSchool Solutions CEO, Dr. Joseph Wise. He adds, There is tremendous cost to students, who during their K-12 education will face a substitute teacher for more than one school year. In dollar terms, a district will spend about 5% of its operating budget for teachers who are not in the classroom."

Both SEMS and StaffCenter 1.0 can be used to manage absences in other employee groups such as Foodservice, Transportation and Custodial Services.

Districts interested in learning how to decrease absenteeism and increase their substitute pools should contact eSchool Solutions at www.eschoolsolutions.com or call 888-388-8774, ext. 269.

eSchool Solutions (www.eschoolsolutions.com) is a leading provider of integrated technology solutions for the preK-12 education market. The company serves over 560 school systems encompassing 20,000 schools in North America, providing automated solutions for financial, payroll, benefits, staffing, scheduling, teaching and learning applications and enhancing student performance by helping parents, teachers, and students communicate instantly with each other.