K-12 Data Management Platform for an EdTech Nonprofit
WeSoftYou built a scalable alternative to Salesforce for an EdTech nonprofit, helping automate student support workflows and save costs for schools and nonprofits.
Industry
EdTech, Nonprofit
Project duration
Ongoing (started in 2023)
Country state
Houston, Texas, United States
Team
11
🏃
The K–12 data management platform developed by WeSoftYou is designed to help schools and service providers support students facing academic, behavioral, or personal challenges. Initially built on Salesforce, the original system became costly, rigid, and difficult to scale across new districts.
WeSoftYou stepped in to rebuild the entire platform from scratch—tailoring it to the needs of educators, administrators, and service providers. The new solution integrates with various student information systems (SIS), automates the routing of student support requests, and provides real-time insights for early intervention. With 20,000+ student profiles now centralized, the platform is actively helping schools respond faster, collaborate better, and reduce administrative friction.
Results ✨
90% faster district onboarding
What previously took several weeks now takes just 1–2 days, thanks to automated onboarding workflows and pre-configured district templates.
80% reduction in admin workload
Routine tasks like form routing, service assignments, and data entry were fully automated, freeing up staff to focus on students rather than paperwork.
Significantly lower operating costs
By moving away from the licensed Salesforce model, an EdTech nonprofit drastically cut their recurring expenses and now fully owns the platform without vendor lock-in.
20,000+ student profiles centralized
Data from different schools and SIS systems is now unified into one secure, easy-to-navigate interface, improving access, accuracy, and real-time decision-making across districts.
Project goals ⚡️
Replace Salesforce with a scalable, budget-friendly custom platform.
Streamline onboarding for new school districts and reduce manual setup time.
Automate the Student Assistance Form (SAF) submission and routing process.
Enable secure, role-based access for diverse user groups (schools, service providers, admins).
Provide actionable dashboards and reports to support early intervention decisions.
Challenges ⛰
01.
Integrating fragmented and inconsistent SIS data from multiple school districts.
02.
Managing complex role-based permissions while maintaining ease of use.
03.
Migrating away from a Salesforce-based architecture without disrupting service.
04.
Building district-specific customizations while maintaining a unified platform core.
05.
Ensuring data privacy and compliance with student data regulations.
The process 🚧
WeSoftYou followed a collaborative and agile development process, working closely with the client’s team in bi-weekly sprints. The goal was to deliver real business value early, starting with core features like the SAF system and dashboards, and expand functionality step by step.
Stages 🎢
01.
Discovery & Analysis: We conducted in-depth interviews with the nonprofit stakeholders, analyzed existing Salesforce workflows, and mapped out gaps and inefficiencies. A key priority was rethinking how student data flows across the platform and into the hands of those who need it most.
02.
Platform Architecture: Our engineers designed a modular and scalable system using Django and React, with integrated AWS services for secure, event-driven operations. We built role-based access controls from the ground up, tailored for educators, administrators, and providers.
03.
Iterative Feature Delivery: Working in agile sprints, we rolled out essential modules—student profiles, SAF submissions, provider portals, and dashboards—while gathering feedback and refining UX flows in real time.
04.
Data Integration & Automation: We created robust pipelines for SIS integration and data normalization. District onboarding was reduced from weeks to 1–2 days through automation. The system now flags high-risk students, auto-routes support requests, and provides actionable insights.
05.
Deployment & Ongoing Support: WeSoftYou deployed a K-12 data management platform across districts with continuous monitoring and support. We remain actively engaged in platform optimization, new feature development, and scaling support for additional districts.
Team composition 👨💻
1 Project Manager
3 Front-end Developers
3 Back-end Developers
2 QA Engineers
1 Business Analyst
1 DevOps Engineer
Technology stack ⚙️
Back-end: Django, Django REST Framework, Celery, AWS SQS, Amazon EventBridge
Frontend: React.js, Redux Toolkit, React Query, TypeScript, Shadcn/ui, Tailwind CSS, Turborepo
Core features 💻
Authorization Features
- District Admin Sign In: Secure access for district-level administrators to manage users and settings.
- Educator Sign In: Enables teachers and counselors to log in and access relevant student data.
- Service Provider Sign In: Allows external partners to securely access assigned student cases.
Navigation Interface
- District Admin Sidebar: Full system control for managing schools, users, and configurations.
- Educator Sidebar: Streamlined access to student profiles, SAF forms, and dashboards.
- Provider Sidebar: Tailored navigation for service providers to manage interventions and updates.
Onboarding Process
- District Setup: Automated district onboarding reduces setup time from weeks to 1–2 days.
- User Invitations: Admins can easily invite teachers, providers, and support staff to join the platform.
- Pre-Configured Roles: Role-based permissions are auto-assigned to users for quick and secure access.
User Management System
- Admin Panel: District admins can add, edit, and remove users, assign roles, and manage settings.
- Role-Based Access: Users only see what they need based on their role—educator, provider, or admin.
- Multi-District Support: Platform allows managing multiple districts under one admin instance.
Student Profiles
- Unified Data View: Combines academic, behavioral, and attendance data in one profile.
- Intervention Tracking: View ongoing and past interventions with timestamps and responsible parties.
- Engagement Insights: Highlights student engagement levels with programs and services.
SAF System (Student Assistance Forms)
- Form Submission: Educators can easily fill and submit SAFs to request student support.
- Automated Routing: Forms are auto-assigned to the correct provider based on student needs.
- Status Tracking: Educators can track SAF progress from submission to closure.
Program & Case Management
- Program Linking: Students can be assigned to specific support programs (e.g., tutoring, mental health).
- Case Notes: All updates and communications are logged for transparency and continuity.
- Provider Updates: External providers can submit progress updates directly into the system.
Analytics & Dashboards
- District Dashboards: Overview of student needs, interventions, and outcomes at the district level.
- Educator Dashboards: Personalized views showing students at risk, pending SAFs, and insights.
- Real-Time Alerts: Highlight students who require immediate attention based on automated flags.
Service Provider Portal
- Access to Assigned Students: Providers can view only the students they’re assigned to.
- Progress Reporting: Submit intervention reports, notes, and updates for educators to review.
- Collaboration Tools: Enables communication between providers and school staff.
Administrative Tools
- User and Role Management: Full control over accounts, roles, and access levels.
- Settings Configuration: Customize workflows, permissions, and notification rules.
- Audit Logs: Track changes and actions across the platform for transparency.
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