How Marion County Took Control of School Payments with Skyward + RevTrak

Challenge

Disconnected systems made it difficult for Marion County Public Schools to track balances and collect outstanding payments across the district. Without a solution that connected directly with Skyward, staff lacked the visibility they needed to manage school finances efficiently.

At the same time, all payments were collected through cash and checks, creating additional inefficiencies and safety concerns across schools. Large volumes of physical money meant staff were responsible for preparing deposits and transporting funds to the bank.

“We had no online platform at all… we were still collecting all cash and checks, and that became unsafe with the amount of money going to the bank.”

Before RevTrak

Before RevTrak, payment collection was entirely manual and time-consuming. Staff were responsible for preparing deposits, traveling to the bank, and managing large sums of cash, sometimes exceeding $50,000. Teachers also played a role in collecting and tracking payments, which pulled them away from instructional time.

“No more deposits to be put together, running to the bank… and not feeling safe with sometimes over $50K in cash.”

Manual processes also introduced more opportunities for errors, incomplete records, and inconsistencies. Without a system that connected financial data across platforms, collecting debt and maintaining accurate records remained a constant challenge.

Implementing RevTrak

Marion County Public Schools selected RevTrak for its affordability, seamless integration with Skyward, and strong support team.

“Cost was a huge factor. It was affordable…and the fact that it communicated directly with Skyward was vital.”

The ability for fees to sync in real time between RevTrak and Skyward’s Fee Management system became a key differentiator. Schools could post fees directly in Skyward, accept payments live in RevTrak, and have transactions automatically update in their Skyward financial records—eliminating manual reconciliation steps and improving accuracy across systems.

A dedicated RevTrak contact helped ensure a smooth onboarding experience, while internal collaboration between finance and IT teams supported integration efforts. Within the first year, the system was fully deployed across the district.

Results

Moving to online payments transformed financial operations across Marion County Public Schools, improving efficiency, accuracy, and participation across the district.

Staff no longer needed to prepare deposits, travel to the bank, or manage large volumes of cash, and teachers regained instructional time by eliminating manual collection processes.

“Time saved is huge… no more having to take money, do paperwork, or leave the classroom.”

Automated tracking reduced errors and simplified reconciliation, helping create more consistent financial records across schools. As teachers, coaches, and program leaders adopted online payments, participation increased across activities and programs.

“With centralized reporting, we can pull the information we need from anywhere, anytime.”

Reducing the need to handle and transport cash also significantly lowered safety risks for staff.

The Bottom Line

RevTrak helped Marion County Public Schools modernize its payment processes, reduce risk, and save time across the district while improving accuracy and participation. What began as a need to solve cash handling and system inefficiencies quickly became a district-wide transformation in how payments are managed.

“The benefits are boundless.”

With continued expansion into new uses like RevTrak’s event ticketing system, the district is building on that foundation to deliver even greater efficiency and convenience moving forward.