Cost Savings, Efficiency, and Accountability: Managing Instructional Materials in Keller ISD

Features Adopted

Inventory Tracking

Frontline integrates with Keller ISD’s student information system, so the district knows how many items it needs based on enrollment. Barcode scanning replaces tedious manual entry and reduces errors. The system makes it easy to see what materials live at each campus and how many items remain in stock at the warehouse.

Cherie does not take this ability for granted. “Tracking the materials, if I didn’t have the system, then I would have to use a spreadsheet. Can you imagine what that spreadsheet would look like for a district our size?”

Audits and Accountability

With Frontline, the district can run audits more smoothly. Instead of searching through piles of papers, staff can rely on the system’s data. The district now uses quantity-based tracking with ISBN numbers in addition to barcodes. This reduces the time it takes to confirm what the campuses have: staff can log a single ISBN and enter the total count instead of scanning each item one by one.

“You just go in there and tell it the ISBN or product number, and then you enter the quantity that you want to give them,” Cherie explained. “I show campuses how they can track these materials even though they’re not tagged. I love that feature.”

Material Distribution

Distributing materials also got easier. The district can assign resources to campuses directly in the system or transfer them from one campus to another without guesswork. Every transfer is logged in Frontline, so the district knows where each item ends up.

“We do it all through the software,” Cherie said, adding that she uses Frontline to restrict campuses from transferring materials unless the request goes through the district. “That way the district knows where materials are being transferred from to and from.”

This clear chain of custody helps the district maintain order, prevent over-purchasing, and reduce waste.

Results and Benefits

Cost Savings

Before using Frontline, each high school frequently experienced textbook losses totaling $16,000-$20,000. Today, those losses rarely exceed $5,000 and are often significantly less. “We had one high school whose textbook invoice was $72.98,” Cherie said. This huge reduction shows the power of accurate tracking and accountability.

The district saved enough money during the first three years to cover the system’s cost. The data provided by Frontline gave Keller ISD’s leadership the evidence they needed to see that this was a wise investment.

Time Efficiency

Audits that once took 6-8 hours for a single high school now take between a half hour and an hour and a half. This frees staff to focus on more important things, like planning and supporting instruction. The district can now complete all audits before staff leave for summer break. This alone saves weeks of labor.

“If I had to scan each book, it would probably take five or six times longer… There is just no way one person could do that.” Cherie explained.

Improved Accountability

With Frontline, Keller ISD ensures accountability for campuses. Schools that manage materials well receive recognition for accurate audits. Teacher receipts help track who has what, eliminating disputes about missing items, as records are always accessible. “If a teacher or a campus comes to a coordinator and says, ‘We didn’t get these materials’ — a lot of times that would happen for math manipulatives — and the coordinator comes to me, I pull out my file for that campus. ‘Nope, here’s the paperwork, here’s your signature on it,’” Cherie shared.

Assistant principals appreciate how simple the system is to use, despite their busy schedules. “Most APs are pretty overworked, and it often seems instructional materials are at the bottom of the priority list. But when I do the training, they comment about how easy it is to use the system. They like that accountability,” Cherie said.

The SIS integration helps ensure the exact number of materials needed are ordered, based on enrollment. “The first year of an adoption, I’m pretty strict,” said Cherie. “If you have a hundred students in fourth grade, you get a hundred books.”

Campuses can track teacher-issued materials easily, knowing which teacher has which items, keeping everyone informed. “Campuses found it easier to issue those to teachers through the software. That way they can track how many each teacher has, so they know that they’re not overusing their allotment.”

Data-Driven Decisions

With Frontline, Keller ISD now has the data to make informed choices around instructional materials. Reports show where surplus materials sit, and if one campus needs something, the district can search other campuses to find extra items. “All districts are in deficits right now, so it’s about using the software and having it work for you to make sure you’re not over-purchasing materials, finding those surplus materials when you need them. That is the biggest help for me in Frontline,” Cherie said.

Because a single platform houses all inventory data, if the district must move surplus from one campus to another, it can. If the district needs to order new materials, it knows exactly how many to buy. This transparency allows staff to plan effectively.

“I love to be able to go in and see where my materials are at and if I need to move surplus from one campus over to another, or if I need to order new materials and where those need to go. I love being able to see all that information,” Cherie said.

Teacher textbook receipts help verify accuracy. Campuses can run reports and send them to teachers to ensure each teacher has the correct items. This avoids confusion, especially when staff members transfer or leave.

“I love the teacher textbook receipts. That is my favorite report for the campuses,” said Cherie. “I’ll tell them each year to run that report, send it to the teachers, make sure they have everything on that list and that the accession numbers are correct, because you don’t want Mrs. Jones to have a book that is actually Mr. Brown’s book. If a teacher is leaving, I tell the campuses to run that same report. That way, they know exactly what they need to turn in and it has the accession numbers tied to it, or the quantities if it doesn’t have an accession number.”

Operational Improvements

Keller ISD now has real-time inventory updates and moves materials efficiently between campuses. During new textbook adoptions, the district tags items at the warehouse, logs them in the system, and then ships them directly to schools.

The system also offers flexible reporting. If a campus needs something, and the district doesn’t have it in stock, the staff checks for surplus before buying more. “If a campus places an order and we don’t have it, we are not going to just go order it. I want to be able to see where any surplus materials are at,” Cherie explained.

By cutting waste and ensuring that each campus gets what it needs, Keller ISD moves closer to equitable resource distribution. Teachers and students benefit from having the right tools at the right time. The district’s process becomes more sustainable and cost-effective.

Keller ISD’s experience with Frontline’s Instructional Materials Management proves that a user-friendly, data-driven system can transform how districts handle their resources. The district went from time-consuming audits and costly losses to fast audits and minimal replacement expenses. They gained a clear view of their inventory and accountability improved at every level. Staff can now focus on what matters most: teaching and learning.

Where would Cherie be if she didn’t have Frontline? “Most likely not in this position, as you need the right tools to do this job, and Frontline provides those tools,” she said.

Frontline helped Keller ISD align its resources with its mission. The district sets a strong example of how careful planning and modern tools lead to financial responsibility, transparency, and operational efficiency.

“It is a very user-friendly system that allows districts to track their materials and save the district money.”