Electronic Transcripts a Becoming a Reality

Overview
MASSP was well represented at CEPI's kick-off meeting for Michigan's e-Transcript initiative. CEPI has selected Docufide, Inc. to deliver an electronic transcript exchange system to school districts, colleges and universities throughout the state. The electronic transfer service, provided by Docufide, allows students to send transcripts and other supporting admission documents from their high schools or colleges to over 4,000 other colleges and universities nationwide, as well as to third party destinations, electronically or on security paper mailed by Docufide. The system will also create a transcript repository across all participating grades, allowing for student performance analysis statewide.

Why Now?
Michigan has been working to develop a lifelong education tracking system since the recommendations of the Lt. Governor’s Commission on Higher Education & Economic Growth were issued, however the project gained renewed vigor when it became a requirement for the state to receive stimulus monies. A statewide three year contract was signed in July of 2009 and, since that time, progress has been rapid.

How Will It Impact High Schools?
At this point, MASSP has received assurances from both CEPI and Docufide that the system will be relatively simple for high schools to implement and manage. The required software will take around twenty minutes to download and staff can be trained in just one hour. Basically, instead of printing a transcript at a student or university’s request, staff will print to the Docufide reader. There is no need to redesign existing transcript templates.

What’s Next?
Currently, CEPI is working to register universities and colleges in Michigan as facilities that will receive transcripts through the eTranscript system. Very soon, superintendents will receive a communication from CEPI asking high schools to register as eTranscript senders and sign staff up for training.
It’s important to note that the success of this program hinges upon colleges and universities agreeing to receive transcripts via eTranscript from high schools. Public universities and colleges are very likely to do so given that their funding could be indirectly attached to participation.

Please see the attachments below for more information.

Benefits of e-Transcript (PDF)

Michigan Launch of eTranscript (PDF)







If you have questions about eTranscript, please post them below and MASSP will get answers!