In the 2009-10 school year, public school enrollment will surpass 50 million students for the first time in the nation's history according to The Condition of Education 2008, a recently released report from the National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education.

The center is projecting through 2017, expecting numbers of elementary and secondary school students to grow to just over 54 million. Educational software solutions will need to keep pace with this growth in order for their to be effectiveness in administering the education system

At a May 29 news conference, NCES commissioner Mark S. Schneider provided a summary of the report's finding, one of which is the growing diversity of the student population.

In 1972, 22% of public of school students were considered to be from an ethnic or racial minority group. That number had nearly doubled to 43% by 2006. And while the number of students whose second language in English swelled from 9% of the school-aged population in 1979 to 20% in 2006, the proportion of those that has difficulty speaking English outside the home decreased from 34% in 1979 to 25% in 2006.

Another highlight of the report was the decrease in students enrolled in special education programs, private schools, but an increase in the proportion of students whose parent(s) has obtained at least a Bachelors degree.

While the report is strictly figures and numbers and does not address the issues surrounding the state of the education system, it can be helpful for school administrators and school management software professionals in developing technology solutions to meet growing demands.

Whether you have just joined the Blackbaud family or need a refresher on the numerous features of our software, many classes and resources are available. Being properly trained through one of the following options is the best way to ensure you get the most from your investment in Blackbaud's educational software solutions.

1. Classroom training at Blackbaud Headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina

Courses are available in a wide range of Blackbaud educational, fundraising, and data management software products. Plus you will have the benefit of visiting one of the most leisurely and historic cities in the United States.

2. Regional training available in 50 cities across the United States and Canada.

Just like traveling to our facility in Charleston, regional training sessions are held in state-of-the-art facilities. Each student is provided with their own workstation for hands-on learning.

3. Distance learning options available for busy professionals.

Can't travel anywhere? Distance learning can help you just like our in-class options. Instructor-led classes are available in an interactive, live group setting along with the eLearning library which provides self-paced online software lessons.

While these courses and resources can be purchased individually, Blackbaud recognizes organizations have budget constraints but also need a well-trained, passionate staff. For one affordable yearly fee, Blackbaud Training Pass offers unlimited classroom, regional, and distance learning courses along with unlimited access to the eLearning library.

Users of Blackbaud school administrative software or any of their other services can connect with other users through the Blackbaud User Society. Maintained by volunteers, it was developed by Blackbaud users to provide an informational resource separate from the company itself.

The user society includes many items that help school and non-profit administrators maximize the usefulness of their software products. Forums are available for each of Blackbaud's products, including the Raiser's Edge, Education Edge, Intelligence Edge, etc. Users can post questions regarding specific issues that are then addressed by others.

For instance, one recent post was from a college administrator having a difficult time importing test scores into their Blackbaud database. With a quick post to the forum, they received many helpful responses to their inquiry.

The Blackbaud User Society also includes news releases from the company and other topics of interest - with RSS feed capability so users can have those directly downloaded to their desktops.

Another great feature of the society is the user suggestion area. Each year, members from the society meet with developers from Blackbaud to share their insights and suggestions for making their products better. Suggestions are organized into several different categories and ranked by other users.

While the user society is free, you must create an account to fully utilize the site.

Students today rely almost entirely on the Internet to search for schools, submit applications, and communicate with prospective professors and student peers. And with the economic slowdown resulting in budget reductions for many institutions, more cost-effective avenues to recruit students must be considered. In addition, it can help students relate to your school better when you show up right where they go to find information.

Improve organic search engine rankings through Search Engine Optimization

Incorporating search engine optimization (SEO) into admissions and recruiting websites provides an edge when potential candidates are beginning to examine their options. To take advantage of the benefits of SEO, important keywords should be identified that are incorporated into the text along with consistent updating of content, which can be helped by using blogs, press releases, and/or newsletters.

Pursue in-bound linking relationships in an organic manner, to demonstrate to the search engines that your site is considered an authority. In addition, you will need to ensure the architecture of your web site is optimized, or all that wonderful content you are adding will not even be indexed.

Depending on your site, you may begin seeing higher search engine rankings for your relevant keywords within a couple weeks - or it could take 6 months or longer.

For faster visibility, pay-per-click (PPC) ads listed through Google or Overture can be a good tool during peak recruiting times.

Network where today's tech savvy youth hangout, on social networking sites

Another method for schools to increase their Web presence is through the ever-growing social networking medium. A profile for a particular program or institution as a whole can be created on MySpace or Facebook for no cost, giving you the ability to reach thousands of high school and undergraduate students.

One particular social networking site, Zinch, is specifically made for students and admissions counselors to interact slightly more in-depth than traditional name, GPA, and test score environments. Recruiters can better narrow their searches rather than sending thousands of e-mails, resulting in open rates 3 times higher than blanket e-mail campaigns, as reported in one recent effort at Butler University.

SEO and social networking can be valuable components for admission recruiting along with student recruiting software solutions, to help your institution draw the best and brightest to fill the ranks.

Teachers can find it difficult to communicate with parents. Sometimes, problems that could have been resolved if parents were aware sooner go unaddressed and cause the student to fall behind. Proper communication of student attendance, progress, and grades is important in helping to ensure a child succeeds in the classroom.

Many schools across the country are turning to technology to address this concern. School administrators, like Debbie Hamilton in Albuquerque, New Mexico say the improved communication makes students more accountable for their work and eliminates unwelcome "surprises" on report cards.

For instance, the webmaster for Debbie Hamilton's school says their site receives at least 500 hits a day. He has calculated that students/parents that do not utilize teacher grading software are 400% more likely to receive a deficiency report.

Class scheduling software, in addition to grade reports, provides another benefit to online communication. Students and parents alike can log-on to view lesson plans, assignments, etc. to be fully aware of what's going on.

Grading and report card software not only provides greater communication between teachers and parents but also greatly reduces the need for printed reports. Many school districts across the country are facing tightening budgets so any help in reducing costs is very welcome.

Probably the biggest benefit to report card, class scheduling, and class attendance software is the enhancement of the teacher/parent relationship. Having easy access to their child's progress has greatly enhanced the idea that teachers and parents are partners in a child's education and development.

Enrollment management solutions available at Blackbaud allow you to use the Internet to connect your school community. Education Edge Internet Solutions provides all the benefits detailed above and reduces administrative burdens on teachers, allowing them to devote more time to actually teaching.

By Aldene Fredenburg

Major shifts in the job market and increasing costs at public and private universities have combined to create a new phenomenon: Increasing numbers of adult students are deciding to attend college, either to improve their job skills or prepare for a career change; and the colleges are welcoming them with open arms.

The days of joining a company’s workforce after completion of high school or college and staying until retirement are gone, probably for good. Outsourcing, downsizing, and changes in business structure create a work environment that is much more unpredictable, and unstable, than ever. Workers with a variety of up-to-date job skills, who can adapt and grow with change, are much more likely to survive than workers who can’t or won’t adapt.

New Programs for Continuing Education Students

Colleges, universities, and trade schools, impacted by rising costs and looking at capital reserves depleted by stock market downturns, are welcoming these workers, creating or expanding continuing education programs and even creating online courses. Computer courses range from instruction in the latest office and management software to basic and advanced website design courses; computer graphic design programs offer students even more skills needed in the new computer-dominated work environment. Other popular course offerings include business and management classes, psychology courses (sometimes including work psychology), and personnel management classes.

Many continuing education programs offer associates’, bachelors’, and even masters’ degrees; some provide career counseling ordinarily offered only to full-time students. In addition, benefits offered to traditional students are often extended to continuing ed students as well; this may include student discounts, free or reduced entrance to events at the college, and even use of the college pool and / or gym – a great perk for workers otherwise unable to afford a gym membership. Some continuing education students even find themselves involved in extracurricular activities, such as the college radio or TV station.

Company Involvement

Many companies encourage their workers to involve themselves in further education, and some will pay for the courses or reimburse for them after completion; some companies, but not all, insist that courses be work-related. One prominent insurance company not only reimburses for courses, but pays the student a $200 bonus upon completion.

Many industries have training programs of their own which they offer to employees; the banking industry, for instance, is affiliated with the American Bankers Association, an organization which offers industry-related courses to the employees of its member banks; these courses are generally free to the employees. This benefit results in unique opportunities for advancement and makes banking a very attractive career path, particularly for women without the means to attend business school.

Even when companies provide free training to workers, many supplement their industry-specific education with college courses; some will even pay for a degree program. Considering the need for higher education among workers, and the uncertainty in the workplace, this education reimbursement arrangement may be the most valuable benefit a worker can receive.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. She expresses her opinions periodically on her blog, http://beyondagendas.blogspot.com She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com

The University of Miami offers an Enrollment Management program for school administrators. The site offers insightful information about the professional roles of enrollment managers as well as debunking the misconceptions about this increasingly popular education management filed.

"When applied astutely and ethically, EM enables a college or university to meet its mission better than could ever be imagined. EM recruits students for success, links them to faculty and other mentors, and helps them become college graduates and lifelong achievers."

Paul M. Orehovec
Vice Provost & Dean of Enrollments, University of Miami

Debunking the Common Misconceptions about Enrollment Management

EM is just a fancy term for recruitment.

While the concept of enrollment management became popular when the number of potential recruits hit a low in the late 70s, enrollment management has evolved to include much more than recruitment. Enrollment management is a philosophical concept and a comprehensive process that includes activities occurring prior to matriculation and continues well beyond graduation.

EM involves organizational restructuring.

Enrollment management does not necessarily require any organizational restructuring. It does, however, require a breakdown of organizational barriers and the development of relationships in order to create a synergy aimed at improving the overall educational experience.

EM means ‘one-stop shopping,’ bringing various enrollment-centered offices together in one location to make it easier for students and their families.

A one-stop shopping concept is wonderful but not necessary for enrollment management to be effective. However, being sensitive to the needs of students and their families is critical. Communicating with colleagues so that a greater understanding is developed about the myriad of processes required of students results in better service and reduces the runaround factor. A goal of enrollment management is to reduce the psychological or perceived size of the institution.

EM is really about financial aid leveraging knowing just how much money to expend to bring certain types of students to campus.
Financial aid leveraging is a technique used by many institutions to enhance recruitment. Enrollment management is much more than any single technique. Enrollment management does rely on the analysis of data, which in turn helps the practitioner develop strategies aimed at maximizing the recruitment and retention of students.

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Student Recruitment with Blackbaud Enrollment Management Software:

Blackbaud Analytics custom predictive models provide a strategic enrollment management tool to help you achieve the student body quality and quantity you want for your school. Visit Blackbaud Analytics Custom Data Modeling for more information.

If your college or university is like most today, you're facing a tough challenge.

How do you identify those students with the qualities you want and gauge their likelihood to enroll so you can focus your marketing resources?

Blackbaud Analytics custom predictive models provide a strategic enrollment management tool to help you achieve the student body quality and quantity you want for your school.

Strategic enrollment management through predictive modeling lets you identify students with desirable qualities, gauge their likelihood to enroll, and focus your marketing resources where they will provide the greatest benefits. Many schools may find they can eliminate their initial search purchases when they target their communications through enrollment modeling.

Using predictive enrollment modeling allows enrollment managers to meet goals and save on enrollment and marketing costs.

Introducing Blackbaud Analytics: the ultimate solution for prospect management and prospect research services.

Find out more about Blackbaud products:

-- Custom Data Modeling - Data modeling as a vital component of a successful prospect research program can help your organization analyze each individual in your database. Not just those whose wealth profile or giving history suggests they are good prospects, so you focus your resources on those most likely to give at all levels.

-- Wealth Screening Solution - Wealth screening, also called list matching or wealth identification, allows you to quickly gather and analyze critical information so you can target the right people and begin cultivating the relationships that lead to substantial gifts.

-- Prospect Research Data Sources - Blackbaud uses the most respected prospect research data sources to find and return the most current, accurate information on prospects. This includes Dun & Bradstreet, FEC and Guide Star, etc.

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Blackbaud is the leading nonprofit software company providing nonprofit software solutions to organizations worldwide. Our products include fundraising software, school administration software, and ticket software, etc.