// RECORDS MANAGEMENT
// RECORDS MANAGEMENT
STUDENT RECORDS SCANNING
Document Scanning in the Education Industry
Secure, compliant, and affordable solutions for businesses on Long Island and New York City.
Educational institutions depend on accurate, secure access to student records to support academic operations, reporting, and compliance requirements. Because student records are often paper-based and retained for long periods, managing these files efficiently can be challenging for schools, colleges, and universities.
Our student records scanning services help educational organizations throughout Long Island, NYC, and the greater New York area digitize transcripts and student files securely, improving access, organization, and long-term records management while supporting privacy and retention requirements such as FERPA.
What is a Student Education Record?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) definees a student record as “all records that schools or education agencies maintain about students.”
These records may include:
- Date and place of birth, parent(s) and/or guardian addresses, and where parents can be contacted in emergencies
- Grades, test scores, courses taken, academic specializations and activities, and official letters regarding a student’s status in school
- Special education records
- Disciplinary records
- Medical and health records that the school creates or collects, or maintains
- Documentation of attendance, schools attended, courses taken, awards conferred, and degrees earned
- Personal information such as a student’s identification code, social security number, picture, or other information that make it easy to identify or locate a student
The Challenges of Storing Student Records
School districts face the biggest challenge in managing their student’s records because there are no formal retention requirements for maintaining them. FERPA suggests that school districts keep temporary student information for a least 5 years after the student no longer attends. In addition, FERPA also suggests that permanent student records should be kept for a minimum of 60 years!
However, maintaining these records for such a substantial amount of time may be challenging due to insufficient storage space within the facility. If the district can store the documents on-site, the storage conditions are rarely suitable for the long term. Older records can be badly damaged if stored in facilities without temperature or humidity control. Consequently, some districts turn to off-site storage where they become locked into long-term contracts that end up much more costly than initially anticipated.
The Solution
Emerald works with schools, higher education institutions, and universities of all sizes, both public and private, to convert their physical student records to digital images. Scanning and digitizing student records provide solutions to these challenges.
With our Student Records Scanning services, you can:
- Save valuable time and money searching for records
- Eliminate the need to store records on-site, which allows for better utilization of space
- Significantly reduce the cost of storing records in a storage facility
- Access every document with a simple search
- Reduce the element of human error
How Our Document Scanning Process Works
We make it easy to transition from paper to digital — without disrupting your day-to-day operations. Here’s what to expect when you work with Emerald Document Imaging:
1. Free Consultation & Planning
We start by learning about your goals, timelines, and the types of documents you need scanned. From there, we design a customized plan tailored to your workflow, compliance requirements, and business needs.
2. Pickup & Project Implementation
Once your project workflow is established, we take care of everything: secure pickup and transport, meticulous document preparation, high-quality scanning, detailed indexing (by name, date, patient ID, etc.), and thorough quality control. We ensure your documents are digitized accurately and ready for seamless import into your software platform.
3. Secure Delivery & Integration
After scanning is complete, we deliver your digital files securely. If you don’t already have a document imaging or management system, we can help you find the right solution — including a free demo of a cloud-based document management platform or delivery of fully searchable PDFs on portable media.
What our clients are saying
Businesses across Long Island and New York City trust Emerald Document Imaging to handle their most important documents — securely, accurately, and on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of using a document scanning service?
Document scanning helps your business reduce storage costs, stay compliant with data retention regulations, and eliminate the inefficiencies of managing paper files. Once scanned, your documents are indexed and organized by key identifiers — like names, dates, or account numbers — making them instantly searchable. This not only improves access and security, but also saves time across your entire team.
How much do document scanning services cost?
The cost of document scanning depends on several factors, including the number of pages, document condition, indexing requirements, and the turnaround time. After a free consultation, Emerald Document Imaging will provide a customized quote tailored to your project.
How long does the scanning process take?
Project timelines vary based on document volume and specific requirements. Small projects can be completed within a few days, while larger or more complex jobs may take a few weeks. We’ll give you a clear timeline during the consultation process.
How do I prepare my documents for scanning?
Simply gather your documents as they are. Our team will handle the rest, including removing staples, paper clips, and bindings, as well as repairing any damaged pages to ensure optimal scan quality.
How do you protect student privacy during scanning?
Student records often contain sensitive personal and academic information. Our scanning process includes secure handling procedures, controlled access, trained personnel, and quality control measures designed to help protect student privacy throughout the digitization process.
Can digitized student records support long-term retention and access needs?
Yes. Digitized student records can be organized and indexed to support long-term retention, transcript requests, audits, and administrative access. Digital files also allow authorized staff to retrieve records more efficiently while maintaining consistent records management practices.
What types of student records can be scanned?
Student records scanning can include transcripts, enrollment records, attendance files, disciplinary records, special education documents, and other academic or administrative student files. We work with institutions to determine which records should be digitized based on access needs and retention policies.
What file formats can I receive after scanning?
We offer flexible output options based on your needs. Most clients choose fully searchable PDF files, but we can also deliver TIFF, JPEG, or custom formats compatible with your document management system.
Do I need a document management system to work with you?
No, you don’t. If you already have a document management system, we’ll deliver your files ready for import. If you don’t, we can help you explore options, including a cloud-based document management solution with a free demo.
Ready to Go Paperless?
Whether you’re scanning decades of archives or just getting started with digital records, Emerald Document Imaging makes the process simple, secure, and stress-free.
Let’s talk about your project — we’ll provide a free quote and answer any questions.
Or give us a call at (631)-435-2900
