Would-be Huckleberry Finns enrolled in Pittsburgh Public Schools soon could find it trickier to cut class, dodge homework or fail tests without their parents finding out almost immediately.
The district plans to implement a new computer program so parents will be able to quickly learn how their children are doing in school. The program is designed to give parents or guardians an online portal for monitoring student performance, including absenteeism and tardiness — well before report cards are sent home.
"It's going to be much harder for any student to pull the wool over a parent's eyes," said Pat Crawford, the district's spokeswoman.
The project is an example of high-tech innovations taking hold in the Pittsburgh region and other school districts across the nation. Only a few other local districts use such technology.
"It allows parents to find out what their children got on tests and quiz scores yesterday, if they showed up on time for second period today, and what their homework is tonight," said C.W. Kreimer, president of CommerSel Studios, the Pittsburgh-based company that created the system the city school district is putting in place.
The South Fayette School District is using a similar program — ParentCONNECT. The North Hills School District launched a pilot program in December, also using ParentCONNECT.
In the city schools, a pilot project using a test group of parents is set to begin late this month. The system is expected to be ready for use in 10 schools — about 20 percent of the district — this school year, and in all district schools in the 2003-04 school year.
"The plan is to help parents be more in touch with what's going on in the schools," said Darlene Harris, president of the Pittsburgh School Board. "I think any time you keep the parents involved in their child's education, it's better for the student and better for the schools."
Harris said the Internet link with parents is viewed as an additional avenue of communication, not a replacement for traditional means of communication, such as sending notes home with students and dialogue between teachers and parents.
Kreimer estimated that more than 65 percent of homes in the district have computers.
The district learned last month it will receive a $2 million state grant to finance the project. More than half of the grant will pay for training teachers to use the system, conducted through a partnership with Duquesne University, said Elbie Yaworsky, director of technology for the city schools.
Previously, school officials had earmarked $300,000 toward such a system, Yaworsky said. CommerSel's basic charge for installing the system, including modifications, is about $192,000, Kreimer said.
Parents get access only to their own children's records through personalized computer codes. Students gain access to their own files for keeping up with schedules, assignments, homework and activities such as field trips and school events. The system is interactive via e-mail between parents, students, teachers and administrators.
The system also has safeguards to block hackers from altering grades or test scores.
Kreimer described his product as being "as secure as online banking."
