Messaging Software

The vendor is required to provide that from vendors to provide a new messaging software system to handle all district and school messaging needs, including:
• Mass communication (crisis and general)
• 2-way communication (e.g., between teachers and families)
• Group communication (e.g., between coach and team) and
• Newsletters.  
- We currently use school messenger for mass communication and newsletters and hope to meet the needs identified by our schools and departments, including the desire for:
• A single, easy-to-use tool
• A highly reliable and nimble mass notification system, able to handle crisis communication quickly and effectively
• Ability to effectively and professionally interact with non-English speaking families in their language
• Capability to create modern, high-quality newsletters   
- Robust, out-of-the-box platform that makes it easy to send and manage messages
- Extensive experience serving large school districts and a solid track record of success
- Intuitive, modern and attractive user experience for all users
- Messaging, website, app in one tool. making training, usage easier
- Ability to monitor communications through an intuitive dashboard
- Robust ability to create reports and analytic
- Editor capabilities
• Can attach links to email and text messages
• Can attach documents to message
• Can embed images into messages
• No character limit for text messages
• Messages can be sent, received, edited, etc. through a mobile app
• Messages can be sent, received, edited, etc. through a mobile website
• Editing access for teachers, students, school leaders, district administrators, coach, et
- Recipient capabilities
• Support automatic rostering for classes, athletic teams, etc.
• Import student and guardian data via infinite campus and staff contacts via in for and provide ability for grouping and rostering based on data and ability to send to specific defined groups
• Import attendance data from sis and create automated messaging using this data
• Support for individual selection for certain messages/groups -- via QR code or number code
- Broadcast communications
• Email - one to many
• SMS - one to many
• App - one to many
• Voice - one to many
• Broadcast to website
• Broadcast to RSS feed
• Broadcast to digital screens in schools
• Broadcast to social media accounts
• One stop shop -- able to send message to multiple avenues at same time using one, easy-to-use interface
• Create and share template messages
• Group saved/template messages in an editable file structure
• Ability to create, edit, send messages via mobile phone
• Ability to send prepared messages with a single click - to all contacts simultaneously
• Support automatic translations in multiple languages.
• Ability to add manual content for different languages and to edit automatic content, as needed
• Ability to automatically send message in user's selected language(s). ability for users to select multiple languages
• Allow for user opt out of messaging, except emergency messages
• Include automated message capabilities to inform parents about attendance, lunch balances, bus routes, etc.
- 2-way communication
• Provide 2-way messaging capabilities (e.g., app based) (instantaneous)
• Provide 2-way SMS (text message, without an app) messaging capabilities (instantaneous)
• Access for parents/guardians, students, teachers, students, school leaders, district administrators, coach, etc.
• Supports automatic, instant multi-language two-way communication
• Allows for manual editing of translation by users, when translation isn't accurate.
• Provides avenues for support if translation is not comprehensible to receiver
• Provide text-to-speech capabilities, including for non-English speakers
• Provide audio/video capture with automatic caption in multiple languages
- Group communication
• Support group chats (more than 2 people)
• Support team communications: sender to group (one way) - individual group member back to sender.
• Support team communications: coach to students
• Support messaging around specific events/needs based on different groups, including classroom, school, and district levels
- Newsletter
• High quality and easy to use message and newsletter creation tools
1. Easy to edit
2. Drag and drop components
3. Background design elements integrated
4. Branded elements integrated
5. Capability for multiple content authors to edit simultaneously
6. Ability to create, save and edit templates
7. Ability to duplicate previous messages
• Robust reporting capabilities
1. Ability to see if messages are delivered, opened, what was clicked
2. Performance reporting, including clicks, opens
3. Heat map capability
• Ability for multiple content authors to have access to same message production dashboard/system
• Ability for users to opt-in/opt out of different messages skews/message types, without opting out of all
• Ability for district to not allow specific groups to opt out
• Provide complete administrative oversight, security and reporting
• Provide insight into how individual schools are communicating to stakeholders
• Report metrics on parent response and engagement
• Provide information on who is not receiving messages, errors can be mitigated
• Collect data on undelivered and blocked messages
• Ability to search and retrieve messages for open records, legal and other requests
- Technology
• Demonstrates a proven-track record of maturity, stability and reliability. required
• Fully integrated with district sis and ERP, for dynamic lists
• Integration with ally security card system
• Integration with google chat
• A2p (non-consumer or application-to-person (a2p) 10dlc (10-digit long code) regulations compliant. vendor should explain in detail how they meet 10dlc compliance and if the district will need to take any additional action to maintain 10dlc compliance.
• Support of SSL, SAML 2.0, multi-factor-authentication, and integration with the district’s active directory environment.
• Support Single Sign On (SSO), Class link IDM
• Accessibility
• Achieves or exceeds web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 level aa conformance and WAI-aria 1.0 standards for both front and back-end users.
• Strong commitment to remaining compliant as accessibility requirements increase
- Security restrictions
• user activity logging stored within the system or passed to agency systems that tracks login time, user, and IP address
• Logging of administrative functions including system changes, account promotion, demotion, data and account deletion.
• Organizational structure can only be centrally managed at the district level including at least the following roles: system administrator, teacher, site administrator, student, parent,
• Preservation of message content
• Retention of messages and system logs for at least 9 months.
• Ability for an agency administrator to easily pull message or chat content.
• Automated provisioning of message recipient groups
• The ability for users to make ad hoc changes to some message recipient groups (ideally this would be managed by role)
• Must adhere to agency data protection agreement which is based on the cis top security controls.
• Must comply with the state student data privacy and transparency act
• Robust infrastructure to ensure availability especially in the case of regional disasters.
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: March 18, 2025