When Durham Public Schools unified document management and transfer tools with Parchment by Instructure, they were making sure that no student record or district device got overlooked when students moved out of the district. The Records Center now provides instant digital credentials and a clear audit trail, so families have peace of mind for their next steps.
Situation
Serving over 33,000 students across 53 campuses, Durham Public Schools (DPS) started to feel like their records were stuck in the past. Managing student documents had become a slow, manual chore, along with tracking student transitions out of the district. Without a central hub, communication lapses were the norm, and staff struggled to accurately report on dropouts or recover districtissued devices because that information was scattered across different platforms.
Challenges
- Manual, paper-based student records were slow to process and prone to errors.
- Fragmented data made tracking and reporting student transitions and dropouts nearly impossible.
- The lack of a trusted informational hub created communication gaps between campuses and receiving districts.
Insights
The DPS records team realized that inconsistent reporting and fragmented transition data directly impacted their ability to support students at risk of dropping out. They needed a single platform that could connect data to what needed to happen today, so no student (or district device) slipped through the cracks. Records didn’t need to be a technical hurdle. Valuing a modern, student-centered experience, they recognized that while they were mandated to send records, they didn’t have to stay stuck in the paper-heavy workflows of the past.
It doesn’t take long for the schools to be verified and make a record request that same day. If we have the requested records on our end, we can upload and send them immediately.
Donna Hamm
Records Center Manager, Durham Public Schools
Solution
With Parchment by Instructure, DPS unified its administrative operations and built a consistent digital workflow for staff. By integrating document management with student transfer tools, the Records Center created a shared framework for its records technicians. This created a dual-pathway approach: they could provide graduates with immediate digital credentials while maintaining an audit trail for every transfer. Records Center Manager Donna Hamm noted the instant efficiency: “It doesn’t take long for the schools to be verified and make a record request that same day.” DPS traded manual workarounds for Parchment, using the platform to handle the high volume of requests across its 53 campuses.
If Parchment is your procedure, just stick to the plan. It has truly worked for us. Records now move in hours, not days.
Donna Hamm
Records Center Manager, Durham Public Schools
Outcomes
The immediate impact of the new system was a graduation and transfer process that finally matched the digital standards of the district. What used to be a slow, error-prone workflow was replaced by a user-friendly interface that staff quickly and easily adopted. Beyond speed and efficiency, the system also provides a safety net for district devices. Record Technician Zachary Wells explained, “We can message the new school for assistance if a student leaves and carries one of our devices out with them.”
The result is a streamlined process for staff that also generates $5,400 in monthly revenue and provides families with peace of mind for their students’ next steps.
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