Collaboration Drives Efficiency Across 11 School Districts

Organization Profile

• Industry: K-12 Education
• Location: Skokie, Illinois
• Number of Employees: 5
• Population: 12,000+
• Tyler Client Since: 2011
• Tyler Products Used: School ERP Pro, Content Manager, Identity

---

Challenges

Located in the northern Chicago suburbs, the Niles Township School Treasurer’s Office (NTST) serves 11 public school districts. It is their mission to assist the districts within their township in achieving their fiscal goals and objectives, from creating supportive work environments to providing information and expertise critical to district financial operations. Today, NTST is committed to helping their districts standardize and implement best practices for using their Tyler School ERP Pro software — and this collaboration has grown since implementing the system.

“When we first implemented School ERP Pro, the districts decided for themselves what parts of the system they wanted to use. We had districts that were barely using it, and we had districts that were using it more robustly,” said Treasurer Marty Paltzer. Underutilization of the system created process inefficiencies, while inconsistent use meant some districts got more from the software than others. “We thought, why invest in this software if we’re not going to train our people, listen to them, and teach them how to use it properly,” said CSBO Bari Cohn. NTST prioritized fostering collaboration and driving more efficient use of School ERP Pro across their districts.

Solution

Inspired by the annual Tyler Connect user conference and the comprehensive training they received during their School ERP Pro implementation, Paltzer and Cohn decided to plan a training event of their own. “Once we got budget approval and polled our districts on their needs, we created a ‘mini-Connect’ for our districts,” said Cohn. Their training offered districts customized classes and private, hour-long sessions with a Tyler trainer for more unique questions and scenarios.

This tailored training was invaluable for NTST’s districts. “It was beneficial to have the trainer explain best practices, and it was equally helpful for other districts to share their methods and experiences,” said Deirdre Koehler, payroll and business office coordinator at Morton Grove School District 70, a district served by NTST. While each district has its own needs and structure, hearing what works for one district sparks interest among other districts to learn how to use their School ERP Pro system more comprehensively. “It’s not just that the software evolves, but the needs of the district are also evolving,” said Paltzer. “We used this training as a springboard to get people talking and find out where they needed more assistance, and we’re there to give them the resources they need to be successful.” Through this training, NTST helps their districts understand the “why” behind every process — showing them how their work impacts their district and community.

Results

Beyond fostering a more collaborative work environment, NTST’s training partnership with Tyler helped bring efficiency to key processes. For example, Morton Grove SD used their time with a Tyler trainer to dive into Position Control, a School ERP Pro function that helps align positions with budgets. “The trainer provided a detailed demonstration of an efficient method for managing positions, including how to vacate and reassign them, which is valuable for both new hires and employees transferring to different positions,” said Koehler. This one-onone time helped the district uncover workflows that save time and boost accuracy.

Since participating in the intensive training, the township’s districts are empowered to use School ERP Pro more effectively. “We all have a better understanding of the tools available to elevate our processes to the next level,” said Koehler. The Niles Township School Treasurer’s Office also maintains a focus on training and collaboration throughout the year with NTST user groups on timely topics, including year-end rollover, changes to pension and retirement reporting, and processing 1099s and W-2s. “Through this training focus, everything is streamlined, and it’s created this tight-knit community. The districts come to us for help, but they also go to each other because everybody is operating consistently and efficiently,” said Cohn.

For the Niles Township School Treasurer’s Office and their districts, that sense of community and collaboration is paramount — and it is supported by their software. “School ERP Pro is a tool we use to collaborate, and it’s important to collaborate as much as you can with as many people as you can. It’s through that diverse point of view that you get to what’s necessary for success,” said Paltzer. By prioritizing collaboration, NTST and the 11 districts within the township are better prepared for successful operations. “We are one team. Our goal is to keep the dollars in the classroom, and the more efficient we can be just benefits the kids,” said Cohn.