Skyward is a software company that provides school management and municipal management solutions.
Its most well-known product is the Skyward Student Information System (SIS), which is widely used by K-12 school districts to manage student data, including:
• Grades and report cards
• Attendance
• Scheduling
• Discipline
• Family access portals
• State reporting
• Special education management
Key Features of Skyward (for schools):
• Student Information System (SIS): Central hub for student records and school operations
• Family Access: A parent/student portal to view grades, assignments, attendance, and communicate with teachers
• Online Registration: Streamlines enrollment and updates
• Fee Management: Tracks and manages school-related fees
• Mobile App: Provides access on the go
Municipal Management:
Skyward also offers solutions for municipal governments like finance, human resources, and utility billing systems.
Skyward is used by thousands of school districts across the U.S. and internationally.
Districts choose it to improve communication between schools and families, streamline administrative tasks, and meet state compliance requirements.
Skyward IT functionalities;
From a technical/IT perspective, here’s a breakdown of Skyward’s architecture, integrations, and considerations if you’re supporting or evaluating it:
1. Product Lines
Skyward offers two main product suites:
• Student Management Suite (SIS)
• School Business Suite (ERP: Finance, HR, Payroll, etc.)
Some districts use both; others use only one.
2. Deployment Models
Skyward can be deployed in two ways:
• On-Premises (district-hosted): Local servers managed by the district’s IT team
• Cloud-Hosted / SaaS (hosted by Skyward): More common for smaller districts or those preferring less infrastructure overhead
Technical Considerations:
• On-prem: Requires server infrastructure, backups, patches, upgrades
• Cloud: Handled by Skyward, fewer IT resource demands
3. Technology Stack
Skyward has evolved from older architectures, so you may encounter:
• Legacy Applications: Written in COBOL or older .NET frameworks
• Web-based Interfaces: Primarily run in browsers; requires compatibility testing
• RESTful APIs: Newer Skyward versions support API integrations, especially for third-party apps
• SQL Databases: Backend typically runs on Microsoft SQL Server (on-prem)
4. Integrations
Skyward often integrates with:
• State Reporting Systems
• Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Canvas, Schoology, Google Classroom
• Data Analytics/BI tools
• Identity Providers (SSO/SAML): Azure AD, Google Workspace, etc.
APIs and Data Feeds:
• Skyward provides API endpoints for data extraction, sync jobs, and automation.
• SFTP or flat-file integration is common for legacy systems.
5. Security & Compliance
Skyward handles sensitive data (PII, grades, discipline records, health records). IT teams must manage:
• FERPA compliance
• Role-based access controls (RBAC)
• Auditing and logging
• Regular backups
• Patch management (if on-prem)
6. Maintenance & Support
• Skyward Knowledge Hub: Official documentation and forums
• User Groups & Conferences: Technical teams benefit from Skyward’s regular updates
• Skyward Updates: Typically released in cycles—testing required before pushing live
7. Common IT Projects
• Upgrades/Migrations: E.g., moving from on-prem to SaaS
• Custom Reporting & Dashboards
• SSO/Authentication Integration
• Data Warehouse Projects: Extracting Skyward data for analytics
• Mobile App Support: Ensuring students and parents can use Skyward apps securely
8. Challenges/Considerations
• Legacy modules may limit modernization or integration
• API coverage varies by version
• Data extraction for BI/reporting can require custom ETL
• Requires careful management of user permissions due to sensitive student data