FACTS Student Information System vs. Unique Learning System

We base our entire student data on the Student ID that is produced in FACTS. We create user accounts for technology and online textbooks as well as their lunch account, all based on the Student ID. We also can run many different reports using the SID as the data constant and all the other information variables are available as needed to report.

Incentivized

I have actually recommended it to another teacher in a different district for her autism program since she could level and pace it easily and also easily collect IEP data without stressing out her students with extra work. Unique Learning System is also a good program for our autism program because it is consistent with all core subjects, making is very routine based.

Incentivized

• Easy to use grade book
• Simple way to store and access health information, behavior reports, and family contact information.
• We use FACTS in the residential aspect of our organization.

Incentivized

• Data tracking and progress reports - Unique Learning System's Polaris feature is a user-friendly, simple way to track and monitor progress towards learners IEP goals. When creating a roadmap that follows a learner's IEP, you input data such as learning profiles and benchmark assessments and rubrics that then produce goal suggestions. You can craft your own goal, use a suggested goal, or choose a goal from the goal library. It gives you a great idea of what goals to target based on learner needs and progress. Entering data is super easy, just a date and a data point, and a graph generates for you. From there, it will show the data trend and flag it for you when it's at risk. It is also easy to add an intervention. Quarterly, I use the progress report feature to generate a report that provides me with the graphs that I use to put into IEP writer.
• Curriculum pacing - My school utilizes Unique Learning System for our daily instruction. Unique Learning System provides pacing guides with what to teach and when. Everything is standards aligned and all of the lesson plans have ways that you can differentiate already built into the plans as well as an easy to use, structured/routine based set up that makes daily lessons predictable for learners to increase engagement.
• N2Y - My learners love News To You! This provides children with access to informational text. We use it as a "fun Friday" read every week. We read the article in class, watch videos, answer questions, and typically do an activity to go along with it. The kids look forward to it every week, and also enjoy the Joey's Locker games that go along with the articles. They have a new feature to be able to assign activities that go along with the article which is really nice because I assign them as supplemental activities to go along with what we are learning about in class!

Incentivized

• It could use more space for uploading classroom media.
• It could lessen the number of new open windows or frames for various functions that can be done on the same screen.
• It could incorporate more social-media like tools to make it more native for students and parents.

Incentivized

• Unique Learning System's materials in the science and social studies areas aren't "fluffy" as other areas, but they are continuously adding materials
• The layout of the website isn't the most user friendly, but most teachers are able to navigate easily after an initial training
• The administrator side of things isn't super straightforward, reports can be confusing to find/run, but the one on one meetings always provide clarity.

Incentivized

It's user-friendly, the customer service is great, and we have a significant amount of time invested in training our faculty and staff to use many aspects of FACTS within their areas of responsibility. I really like the variety of reports I can generate which gives important data to our administration and Board.

Incentivized

I appreciate all the various resources that Unique Learning System has to offer. However, due to my limited interaction with other resources similar to Unique Learning System I do not know enough to compare it against other programs. I also am not a person in charge of renewing Unique Learning System for my organization.

Incentivized

There is a lot of content in Unique Learning System. It can sometimes be time consuming to navigate through everything. I appreciate the depth and breadth of the resources, but it can also be tough to use when I need a worksheet or packet for my students. The use of Unique Learning System on the computer is great, but my students seem to learn best when they have a pen and paper in front of them.

Incentivized

errors will show up

Incentivized

there have been few issues with login or glitches

Incentivized

The individuals helping have always been great. The response to requests for changes in functionality or reporting less so.

Incentivized

it was all over the place hard to follow along

Incentivized

good product

Incentivized

Switched from Blackbaud to RenWeb now FACTS. We made the change for affordability and because more software components were included. Blackbaud required the purchase of multiple additional modules.

Incentivized

We viewed Encore by TeachTown. The product seemed to be a notch above Unique Learning System and included workbooks and other books but was very expensive. The downfalls of Encore was that it did not include the Profile Assessments like Unique Learning System and also the monthly checkpoints which are very valuable.

Incentivized

todays weather would not load sometimes

Incentivized

• Has paid for itself many time over with the abilities it provides.
• Can be managed by as few or as many as needed so per employee cost is great.
• Reporting is great for almost any topic needed all the way to How many took the ACT in spring.

Incentivized

• Ease of planning is #1. I am able to plan an entire lesson or a week's worth of lessons during my 30-minute planning time.
• Data that is collected for IEPs is so valuable and reports are parent-friendly.
• Students are able to work on the alternative path toward a diploma because this curriculm is covering all of the standards they need to see in order to earn their diploma.