Brevard Public Schools’ new online gradebook, called FOCUS, is up and running, and the district is urging all students, teachers and parents to start using it now.
FOCUS is replacing Edline, which has been used by BPS and other districts for years. The company that runs Edline is discontinuing the product, and the district chose the more modern FOCUS to take its place.
The initial phase of FOCUS is the online gradebook, similar to Edline. There’s also a downloadable app, and the ability to view standardized test scores. High school students and parents can also view class schedules and the student’s entire transcript.
Parents should have received an envelope in the mail from BPS marked “confidential.” Inside is a blue piece of paper for each student in the household, with instructions on how to set up a FOCUS account, as well as the student’s identification number and a PIN.
More options that benefit teachers, parents and students will be added as it rolls out, according to Russell Cheatham, the district’s chief information officer.
“In the back end of this there are some really cool features that I think our parents are going to love,” Cheatham said.
Those features include the ability to contact teachers directly, see grades immediately and receive an alert if a student’s grade drops below a certain level.
“The biggest thing for parents is this is a more powerful gradebook,” Cheatham said. “FOCUS is going to help open up a line of communication from the teachers to parents and just all around.”
For now, Cheatham said, the push is to get everyone transitioned to the new system, and making sure teachers have the tools they need to successfully implement it, including training and ongoing support.
He said FOCUS was chosen by a team that included teachers and principals, and the district is also working closely with the Brevard Federation of Teachers during the roll-out and training process.
Edline will be completely gone by Jan. 31.