The School District of Manatee County Says ‘Farewell’ to Filing Cabinets

The School District of Manatee County, serving over 50,000 students across 67 campuses, faced significant challenges managing student records. Storing paper files in filing cabinets and boxes created logistical headaches and made it difficult to access information.

After failed attempts to digitize, the district turned to Parchment for streamlined record-keeping and improved accessibility. We spoke with Scott Hansen and Kristi Miller from the district office to learn more.

The Challenges of a Decentralized Records System

Before the district adopted Parchment’s solutions, the School District of Manatee County struggled with a highly decentralized records management system. Hansen explains, “The paper records were filling up countless boxes at every campus.” The district had no centralized system for storing student records, wasting valuable time and resources.

The lack of an organized system also led to compliance challenges and delays in responding to record requests. Miller points out, “We were keeping some records in fireproof vaults, which wasn’t free, and to get them you had to drive to where they were and physically sign them out.”

With large quantities of records scattered across schools and storage facilities, fulfilling statutory record request timelines was a constant struggle. This decentralized system led to logistical and organizational inefficiencies, as “thousands of boxes of folders were stored on pallets and industrial shelves in a warehouse,” according to Hansen.

The Path to Digital Transformation

Hansen and Miller saw the mounting challenges and decided to take a proactive approach toward digitizing records to make them more accessible and easier to manage. And previous attempts to digitize records had not been successful, leading to frustration and the need for a better solution.

After researching alternatives and observing how other districts were using digital solutions, the district found that Parchment’s products offered the affordability and functionality they needed. Plus, after seeing firsthand how smoothly Parchment’s system was running in these districts, it gave the team confidence to move forward with the solution.

Hansen and Miller were particularly drawn to Parchment’s integrated approach to records management, which allowed them to move beyond just managing requests. They wanted a comprehensive system that would not only handle records requests but also securely manage student data in one place — for better tracking, retrieval, and compliance.

Ultimately, the decision to choose Parchment was influenced by both the practical benefits of the solution and the district’s positive interactions with other local school districts that had already adopted the system. “We didn’t get crazy, but we did take a look at several other districts, and our decision was, to some extent, made for us,” Miller noted. Parchment then provided a customized solution that was salable to meet Manatee County’s specific needs.

How Collaboration Made Digitization a Success

One of the key steps in the implementation process was scanning and digitizing the records from each campus. Hansen and his team set up clear procedures to ensure that documents were categorized and uploaded into the Parchment system. “We ask the individual schools to sort through their old documents and decide what needs scanning and what they need to destroy,” Hansen explained. “Once the documents are scanned in, they’re easily categorized and searched in any way we need.”

Hansen noted a few challenges in the digitization process — mainly getting schools to collaborate. Some had more old records than others, and it took a little time to get everyone on the same page. But after demonstrating the efficiency of the system, the entire district bought into the process.

The district implemented the process gradually, with the goal of completing the digitization across all campuses. Hansen even took part in scanning records alongside the digitization teams, personally overseeing the process.

To ensure smooth adoption, the district provided hands-on support for preparing and scanning records, creating a sense of collaboration and shared responsibility. “We were pushing it onto the schools, but we were also there with them,” Hansen said. “We weren’t just pushing it down and saying good luck.” This highly structured approach — with regular check-ins — helped foster buy-in from staff and made the transition to the new system smoother.

Additionally, the district worked closely with Parchment to ensure that the system met all of their specific needs. Kristi noted that “Parchment was very supportive from the beginning and walked us through the entire process.” The level of support and attention to detail from the Parchment team helped the district feel confident that the solution was the right fit. Plus, having the Parchment team available to answer questions at any stage proved invaluable to a smooth transition process.

The Impact of Digital Records Management

Since adopting Parchment’s solutions, the School District of Manatee County has transformed its records management — saving time, space, and hassle. The new system ensures records can be searched and accessed quickly for improved efficiency. Plus, this shift to digital records made valuable resources available that were previously dedicated to managing paper records.

Scott summed up the impact: “The newly freed space is really under the control of each school’s principal. I think they’re just happy they’re not dealing with boxes upon boxes, file cabinets of records, and the filing of the records.” By eliminating the need to transport paper records, the district has also gained valuable efficiency. As he noted, “We’re no longer keeping the paper-based records on location once they’re scanned in. Those records become the authoritative originals.”

The newly streamlined process has drastically reduced errors as well, with records stored in a centralized, secure, and instantly accessible place. The subsequent time savings have allowed staff to focus on more strategic work and improve overall productivity. And with digitized records readily accessible, the district can now process requests faster and meet statutory deadlines with ease — all while reducing errors from misplaced documents.

The shift has also driven major operational efficiencies. “We’re ahead of schedule on scanning our active student and employee records. We’ve already completed most of our personnel files, and the time savings are substantial,” Scott shared. By managing records in real-time, the district is better prepared for the future and free from the burden of backlogged paper files.

There’s always more to learn.