Solano County Office of Education

County’s Web site Platform serves as a flexible foundation for external databases and customized programs, creating a central community resource.

URL: http://www.solanocoe.k12.ca.us | Download this Case Study as an Adobe PDF file (415 KB)

In 2001, having outgrown their existing static Web site, the Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) chose the SWS Campus Platform to improve the functionality of their Web site. The self-serve model of Web publishing — empowering the information owners to publish their own Web content — was ideal for the ITS department, which had limited personnel at that time. Additionally, SCOE was very interested in the Campus Platform’s ability to easily publish information from external databases that it maintained. With the combination of self-serve Web authoring and “live” connections to external databases, SCOE’s site is truly a dynamic Web site kept up-to-date down to the minute:

"When our County Office began searching for an intranet and public Web site product that would be powerful, flexible, and most of all, easy for non-technical staff to use, the SWS Campus Platform was the obvious choice. Now, we can create dynamic web pages that are based on up to the minute information in our databases, publish documents in their native formats, and precisely control when and where content appears on our Web site. Instead of hiring a fleet of HTML, Java, and other programmers, we use the Campus Platform's pre-programmed interface, so our staff can focus on the things they already do well. It takes no time at all for publications, news and events to get posted to the web. And because we decide ahead of time when entries expire, we don't have to search our entire site to weed out last year's "news." There is no better tool to get your documents and data posted securely to the web, or to keep your students, parents and community partners aware of what's happening in your school, school district, or County Office." (Steve Ramos, Director, Information Services & Technology, Solano County Office of Education)

Three years later, the site continues to pay dividends to the County. Even though the ITS department has grown in size since the acquisition and deployment of the Campus Platform, the Platform has not been outgrown--the Platform has developed with the expanding need.  For example, in 2002, SCOE integrated the Personnel Departments employee database with the SWS Campus Platform. Once there is a change or addition in personnel, the online staff listing reflects this immediately. SCOE is also notable in its extensive, active use of the events calendar features of the Platform, using its Web site as a vibrant source of information, promotion and marketing.

Further, in 2003, SCOE implemented the California Educational Computer Consortium’s (CECC) software as a county-wide business and financial system. Because of the rapid implementation of this software, SCOE needed a solution to keep member districts informed of the CECC system’s status, updates, and announcements. Using the SWS Campus Platform, SCOE created a Web community dedicated to supporting Solano County's implementation of the CECC school administration and business software system. The most noteworthy feature was a System Status Information page developed by SCOE using the existing SWS Campus Platform. With this page, when SCOE becomes aware of time-sensitive technical problems, issues, or reminders, it can quickly and easily broadcast the information. Today, SCOE has begun to implement a similar solution for the GENESEA special education administration system in Solano County. 

The Solano County Office of Education has made creative and energetic use of their Web site, making the SWS Campus Platform entirely their own while developing a community resource.