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Appian vs. PowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Appian

    Score7.9 out of 10
    N/AAppian is a low-code development and business process management platform. It features drag-and-drop design for app building, automated work processes, unified data management, and cloud-based deployment.

    $0

    PowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs

    Score10 out of 10
    N/APowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs (Special Education) covers all areas of education including 504 processes, services capture for Medicaid billing, special education case management, gifted and talented, English language learners, and Response to Intervention (RTI). It is a comprehensive system that combines case management with tracking clinical services to ensure the delivery of IEPs and alignment of IEPs to state and local goals. The system is designed to support districts in…N/A
    Pricing
    AppianPowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Editions & Modules
    Appian Community Edition
    $0
    Application - Input-Only
    $2
    per month per user
    Application - Infrequent
    $9
    per month per user
    Application - Standard
    $75
    per month per user
    Platform
    Custom Quote Priced per user with unlimited apps.
    minimum 100 users, no maximum
    Unlimited
    Custom Quote Priced per development with unlimited apps.
    unlimited
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    AppianPowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Free Trial
    YesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    AppianPowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Considered Both Products
    Appian
    No answer on this topic
    PowerSchool Group LLC
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    95%
    Would buy again
    38 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    32 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    93%
    Happy with the feature set
    37 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    25 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    91%
    Implementation went as expected
    30 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    AppianPowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Reporting & Analytics
    Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Appian and PowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Feature
    Appian
    8.1
    9 Ratings
    4% above category average
    PowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    -
    Ratings
    Dashboards8.29 Ratings00 Ratings
    Standard reports8.59 Ratings00 Ratings
    Custom reports7.69 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process Engine
    Comparison of Process Engine features of Appian and PowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Feature
    Appian
    7.4
    9 Ratings
    2% above category average
    PowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    -
    Ratings
    Process designer7.99 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process simulation6.49 Ratings00 Ratings
    Business rules engine6.49 Ratings00 Ratings
    SOA support8.29 Ratings00 Ratings
    Process player7.39 Ratings00 Ratings
    Form builder7.69 Ratings00 Ratings
    Model execution8.59 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    AppianPowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Small Businesses
    Bizagi
    Score8.3 out of 10
    Bonterra Apricot
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
    Score9 out of 10
    Bonterra Apricot
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Enterprises
    IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
    Score9 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    AppianPowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.4
    (139 ratings)
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    8.5
    (19 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    8.7
    (95 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    8.4
    (118 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Online Training
    6.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    1.0
    (5 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    AppianPowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Appian
    Appian works great for automating manual processes and integrating multiple systems through its toolset. It gives great flexibility for establishing rules for approvals, routings, escalations, and the like. Because of the low code toolset, it's very easy to deploy and make changes as needed as processes evolve and as the organization learns to utilize the system better. Minimal maintenance is required to support the applications build on the platform. Some of the automated testing integration with tools like Jenkins is limited so that may be an issue for some.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    PowerSchool Special Education is well suited in one specific area: special education in elementary, middle and high schools. It works here due to the nature of the platform, which focuses on meeting the needs of students with all disabilities. The software offers information on specific cases, students, as well as Academics. This supports the mission of supporting all students and making it easier for educators, parents, and administration to be more heavily involved in tracking, monitoring and supporting students. When using PowerSchool Special Education, it simplifies the IEP process. Collaboration is one of the best abilities the software provides. There is a need to track program eligibility, including 501 accommodations and Title 1, and in a school with such a large population, the functionality that this software offers to users is important.
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    Appian
    • Allows at a glance workflow documentation which assists in the need we have for information readiation.
    • Drag and drop interface for workflow development greatly speeds our apps time to market.
    • Using the advanced features of Appian, we are able to create working sites in a fraction of the time it would take to do so using "traditional" development.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    • It provides all the documents necessary for supporting federal and state laws in regards to the special education program.
    • Extremely effective in helping to meet reporting standards for students. Teachers that fall behind on deadlines or timelines are given reminders and provided with processes to monitor progress and reporting.
    • Case management is easy, which leads to 100% compliance. This is important because the best strength is that this platform helps to increase funding by meeting all requirements of the Fed and State.
    • An additional strength is the collaborative potential it offers. The platform offers student portals to let staff access all resources on demand.
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    Appian
    • Search issues when type ahead and database search are used in the same field.
    • Buttons implementation where user is require[d] to click on the button description - if clicks on the button outside that text - button will not work.
    • Problems with using certain off-the-shelf performance tools like WebLoad or Neoload. That is because of different dynamic variables being used internally in Appian - which these tools are unable to correlate. We are still investigating using other tools like Jmeter to overcome dynamic correlation problem for performance testing.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    • In terms of improvement, the interface is extremely ugly and simple in design, color and icon design. The platform needs to have a much more interactive and appealing interface so that use is more comfortable.
    • For parents, their side of the platform has a lot of options. That needs to be simplified. I think less and more drop downs within the key menus would help.
    • The disability codes are very lengthy. Perhaps there are easier or faster ways to access subsections to select.
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    Appian
    We recently renewed our license with Appian. We are convinced that its flexibility, relative ease of use, the support they provide, there mobile advancements and their general willingness and desire to see us succeed all contributed to our reason to renew our agreement with Appian
    Read full review
    PowerSchool Group LLC
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Appian
    Appian is a low code environment, because of this, a very good visual interface is required. Appian is providing a feature-rich dashboard [that] we can use for building the dashboards and other interfaces. Appian also provides patches and releases to enhance these features. A developer can start off development just by going through a basic course from the Appian learning community.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Appian
    Appian is one of the leading low code business automation platforms that support RPA, decision rules, case management, workflow automation, and machine learning all in a single bundle. But it is also harder to implement and replace the traditional business process.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    No answers on this topic
    In-Person Training
    Appian
    As analyst I participated in a developer boot camp. At times it was hard to keep up but most of the time it made sense. Trainer took the time to explain and slowed pace down to answer questions etc.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    No answers on this topic
    Online Training
    Appian
    Very boring; hard to get through quickly, but rather effective in demonstrating the use of the platform.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation Rating
    Appian
    It was really seamless. SaaS in the true definition of the word. We logged on and started using the product. Very easy.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Appian
    Appian has enormously transformed and keeps on updating the product every quarter to meet the latest needs of the world with new innovations & technologies being integrated within the platform. What gives more pleasure than a product that keeps on continuous[ly] improv[ing]?
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    There is no other software on the market that is specifically focused on improving the support of special education programs. PowerSchool Special Education system has a similar interface and structure that Moodle Rooms offer; however, Moodle Rooms is for content management and student management. PowerSchool Special Education is not related to course curriculum management, it is primarily focused on special education programs. Managing special education programs can be very difficult and stressful. It is impossible to successfully comply and healthily support a special education program without tools such as PowerSchool Special Education. Even more important than what other software does do for schools and educators, this platform makes it more convenient for families. Electronic forms and parent portals make processes easier.
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    Appian
    • I believe it has negatively impacted our release dates. There may have been a misunderstanding as to the learning curve, even though it is "low code."
    • The look and feel of the applications created using Appian have uniformity and it's easier to have "reuse" between applications.
    • There is less developer control when it comes to features. I think this mainly has to do with the amount of plugins available. I would think there should be many more available plugins. But again, our use case is probably different than most others.
    Incentivized
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    PowerSchool Group LLC
    • There is also a positive impact on ROI for the school. Utilizing this software provides the school with the ability to increase the potential it receives in Title 1 funding. Title 1 funding is a major source of funding for inner-city schools in particular.
    • Normally, the IEP and tracking process is lengthy, filled with paper, and often takes more time than necessary. Utilizing this software speeds up the process and provides clear requirements to be met, which reduces the number of questions and confusing meetings or papers left in teacher mailboxes.
    • I have not experienced a negative return on investment with the software, because, without it, the paper trail would be too lengthy and the process would be much more convoluted, with long meetings, long sheets of paperwork, and missed deadlines due to a lack of clear collaboration.
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots

    Appian Screenshots

    Screenshot of Low-Code DevelopmentScreenshot of Business Process Management SuiteScreenshot of Dynamic Case ManagementScreenshot of Mobile App DevelopmentScreenshot of Appian RPA with Blue Prism

    PowerSchool Unified Classroom Special Programs Screenshots

    Screenshot of IEP Progress reportScreenshot of IEP considerations