New software makes teachers’ life easier

A computer program allowing teachers and administrators greater flexibility in creating tests and accessing up-to-date student data was installed last month at all schools in the Conejo Valley Unified School District except one, a school official said last week.

Westlake High School is scheduled to have the program by the end of March.

Michael Vollmert, the district’s research director, called Edusoft an evolution in education because for the first time it enables kindergarten through 12th grade teachers to write tests specifically to the state standards. The program also helps teachers to better tailor their homework assignments.

Teachers have had access to STAR, the California standards test given to students each year. For the purposes of parent-teacher conferences, however, STAR data are often outdated, Vollmert said.

The new software gives school principals and teachers access to current test data and allows teachers to write tests for specific class needs in just minutes, he said.

The program costs about $7 per student, and the only equipment required, in addition to the software, is an off-the-shelf scanner and Internet-accessible computer for each school site.

Edusoft also makes data available on the High School Exit Exam and English language proficiency tests.

The 82 teachers currently trained on the software will provide training for other educators in the district.

— Michelle Knight