By Jennifer Mrozowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Cincinnati school district is considering a multimillion-dollar instructional management system to help teachers create and grade tests and track students' attendance, academic performance and mastery of skills with just a few clicks of a mouse.

The proposed computerized system, estimated to cost $15.8 million over the next three years, would also manage other student data, such as whether a student meets the state's academic standards.

Parents could also link into the system via the Internet to see their child's grades, discipline, attendance, assignments and performance.

Treasurer Michael Geoghegan said the cost could be financed through a tax-exempt loan.

The payments, he said, could be included in future budgets and paid back over five years.

District officials are touting the system as a way to save teachers more than 400 hours a year that could be translated to more time to analyze and enhance instructional planning.

If approved, it would be one of the most comprehensive instructional management systems nationwide for districts of Cincinnati's size, she said.

School administration also said the instructional system would help:

Teachers track students' progress from school to school and grade to grade.

Streamline the work of office clerks and save time for security guards.

Some board members, who are expected to vote on whether to enter into a $1.1 million software contract Monday, question the cost and value.

Board member Catherine Ingram said teachers would still have to spend time entering student data into the system, including names, grades and how well they perform.

"It's going to take a lot more work putting that information into the system," she said.

"The reality is you're still going to have a lot of work to do. We have to make sure we get what we're looking for."

District officials stressed that the cost includes estimates of $6.6 million for new computers and $1 million for new cabling for the additional technology.

Training and consulting for teachers is estimated at $1.3 million and additional support staff would have to be added for about $1 million the first year.

Those costs would go down the following years.

Operating the system would cost about $1.2 million annually from the third year on for support personnel and software licensing fees.

Several teachers are using the grading system in a pilot program at Aiken High School.

"I love the electronic grade book," said art teacher Debi Ray. "It saves a lot of time and duplication."

Board member Sally Warner said she was impressed and thought the system would provide a powerful instructional tool to teachers.

E-mail jmrozowski@enquirer.com