Riverview Gardens School District Enhances Records Management with NextRequest
Keys to Project:
Efficient Records Request Management
School District:
Riverview Gardens, St. Louis, MOPopulation:
35,736Products:
Challenge:
The district's reliance on manual processes led to inefficiencies, delays, and challenges in tracking records.
Solution:
NextRequest offers a web-based solution that allows the school district to manage records requests more efficiently through one centralized platform.
Result:
Implementing NextRequest transformed the district's records management from a cumbersome, manual process to a streamlined, digital solution, saving them time and money.
Background
Riverview Gardens School District, located in St. Louis, Missouri, serves a diverse student body across nine elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Managing records efficiently is a critical task for the district, especially for Sha Fields, the Coordinator of Board Governance and Custodian of Records for Riverview Gardens School District. Before implementing NextRequest, the district faced challenges with a manual, paper-based records management system that made it difficult to track and fulfill records requests promptly.
Challenges
In her role, Sha Fields is tasked with managing all incoming records requests. On average, the district receives 40-50 records requests every six months. The district’s reliance on manual processes led to delays and challenges tracking records. Without formal training or a standardized system, Fields often found herself overwhelmed by the volume of paperwork and the manual process of filing and retrieving records. This – combined with the difficulty of managing multiple requests simultaneously – resulted in slow response times and a higher risk of errors.
In the past, I would have to email individuals at the different schools and ask them to provide the records to me. Most of the time, they would either send them through interoffice mail, which would take me at least a day to receive or, if they had the capability, scan the records. But, in the past, they didn't have the ability to scan things.
Sha Fields
Coordinator of Board Governance and Custodian of Records for Riverview Gardens School District
Implementing NextRequest for Streamlined Records Management
In May 2023, Riverview Gardens School District turned to NextRequest to address these challenges. NextRequest offers a web-based solution that allows Fields to manage records requests more efficiently through one centralized platform. Implementing NextRequest transformed the district’s records management from a cumbersome, manual process to a streamlined, digital solution.
The great thing about having NextRequest is that I'm able to provide data quickly... I don't have to go to the file cabinet and count how many records; I can see who the records came from and when they came in much more efficiently.
Sha Fields
Coordinator of Board Governance and Custodian of Records for Riverview Gardens School District
Achieving Efficiency and Compliance
The shift to NextRequest provided immediate benefits. Fields can now process and respond to records requests much faster, significantly improving the district’s efficiency. The ability to assign requests to the appropriate departments and track their progress within the platform reduces the likelihood of missing or duplicating requests.
Fields says, “We have to respond to requests within 72 hours. That’s with or without the record. In past practice, we would respond on that third business day, but we may not have those records until the fourth or fifth day. With NextRequest, we can actually turn [requests] around within 24 to 48 hours, which is excellent.”
The platform’s features, such as the ability to redact sensitive information and manage records securely, further enhanced the district’s compliance and operational efficiency. The centralized portal also allows for better internal communication and follow-up on requests, streamlining the entire process.
I love being able to redact in the portal and save documents. You can delete the original document that you uploaded prior to redacting it so the new one is right there by itself. Just having the ability to communicate within the portal is phenomenal, and it has helped me streamline and follow up easily on requests.
Sha Fields
Coordinator of Board Governance and Custodian of Records for Riverview Gardens School District
Leveraging the Power of NextRequest
The transition to NextRequest not only improved the district’s records management process but also gave Fields greater confidence in handling her responsibilities. The platform’s ease of use and efficiency has saved time and money, reduced the workload, and enabled the district to provide better service to its community.
NextRequest gives me the ability to assign the request, put a follow-up date, and communicate with the requester and our school district. We have quite a few requests for which we rely heavily on our legal team; both of our attorneys are assigned to the NextRequest portal. Once the records are there, I can then ask for their review of the records as well.
Sha Fields
Coordinator of Board Governance and Custodian of Records for Riverview Gardens School District
Fields is so impressed with NextRequest that she shares her positive experience with peers at professional conferences and events, emphasizing how the solution has transformed the district’s operations and ways it can help others in similar roles.
A Trusted Partner in Records Management
For Riverview Gardens School District, NextRequest has been a game-changer in managing records requests. The solution has streamlined operations, reduced manual workloads, and ensured compliance with state records laws. As a result, the district is now better equipped to handle the increasing demands of records management, providing faster and more efficient service to the community.
Fields says, “As long as we keep our contract with you guys, we’ll be able to access the information all while saving time and money.”