A mandatory purchasing pathway for specified student administration software is planned for October 2027, with implications for product selection, contract management and data security.
Victorian government schools will be required to use a new School Software Panel to purchase specified student administration software, under the Victorian Department of Education’s Software and Administration Systems policy.
The panel, scheduled for release in October 2027, is intended to provide schools with an approved pathway for comparing products, obtaining quotes and purchasing software through a standardised process.
The policy sets out purchasing requirements for software covered by the panel, alongside existing obligations relating to information security, privacy and school records.
What software will be covered?
The panel’s initial scope covers specified student administration software categories, including products for student management, timetabling, attendance and parent-teacher communications. The department may expand the panel’s scope over time.
Schools will be required to use the panel to identify approved suppliers, compare products, request quotes and complete purchases through the designated process. Under the department’s purchasing requirements, one quote is required for purchases up to $25,000 and three quotes for purchases above $25,000.
Products approved for the panel will have undergone a Safer Technologies for Schools (ST4S) assessment. Schools purchasing through the panel will not need to conduct a separate ST4S check for those products, although they remain responsible for ensuring the software meets their operational needs and is configured in line with relevant department policies.
Software outside the panel’s scope remains subject to applicable assessment requirements. Schools must check the department’s Arc Software catalogue for an ST4S assessment report, address any actions specified in the report and request a security assessment through the department if no report is available.
The panel’s initial scope does not cover all school software. Products outside the specified student administration categories, including AI chatbots, are not currently included.
Existing contracts and supplier terms
The department’s policy provides for a transition period rather than requiring schools to terminate existing agreements prematurely.
Schools can continue using non-panel products for the remainder of their current contracts. As agreements approach renewal, they should review panel-approved alternatives. A 12-month grace period will apply from the panel’s planned release in October 2027.
The policy also prescribes contract arrangements for panel purchases. Schools must use the department’s approved Purchase Order Contract, linked to the relevant supplier Master Agreement, and must not accept separate supplier terms. These include online click-through conditions, licence terms, order forms and contract amendments.
What should school leaders do now?
For principals, business managers and information and communications technology (ICT) leaders, the forthcoming panel provides an opportunity to review software inventories, contract renewal dates and current purchasing processes.
The department has published a software inventory template and supporting resources to help schools record the products they use, licence details, product owners and renewal dates, and assess whether a transition to a panel-approved alternative may be required.
Schools must also continue to use department-provided systems of record for their intended purposes. Using an additional administration platform does not remove the requirement to maintain relevant information in the appropriate department system.
Reviewing existing contracts, identifying upcoming renewals and understanding which products fall within the panel’s scope may help school leaders prepare for the planned transition.
Further information: Software and Administration Systems policy