If everything goes smoothly, Pleasant Valley School District teachers and parents could be using a new student information system software by next school year.

Director of Technology Lee Lesisko said that he is hoping to implement Infinite Campus rather than the current PowerSchool, formerly known as eSchool.

With Infinite Campus, parents will enjoy a more robust portal with better information, and teachers will be able to use an easier grade book, Lesisko said.

The technology department hasn’t budgeted for the change because it wasn’t expecting to have to plan it this year, Lesisko told the board at the buildings and grounds meeting Monday night.

The current software has recently changed hands, Lesisko said after the meeting. This year, it started forcing upgrades that created problems because they weren’t tested properly.

Recently, the high school sent out progress reports a week and a half late because of an upgrade that messed up the system, Lesisko said.

“How can we be productive if the software doesn’t work?” he said. “It’s time for us to be able to work more efficiently with a company that wants to work with us.”

Infinite Campus is not only a better but also a cheaper option, Lesisko said.

The school district would only have to pay about $78,000 a year for Infinite Campus and add-ons, as opposed to the $138,000 it currently pays.

But it will cost a one-time fee of $68,200 to implement the new software, Lesisko said.

During the meeting, the board discussed funding options. Lesisko told the board that the district was denied an E-rate program discount. He is looking into appealing the denial.

Some funds might be able to come out of the technology department’s budget, Lesisko said. The board also discussed the possibility of a money transfer.

Lesisko hopes to switch to the new system next July, but he needs the board’s approval before he can execute the contract with Infinite Campus and start the long process of transferring data.

“We want to make sure it’s done right,” Lesisko said. “I don’t wanna rush it.”

If all goes well, the school district will save taxpayer money and get a functional program, Lesisko said.