Malvern-based Frontline Education is revamping its K-12 management software to make it easier for schools to guard against the coronavirus, writes Michelle Caffrey for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

The software, which is being used by more than 80,000 schools countrywide, is getting new tools that allow schools to screen staff and students for COVID-19, track potential cases, trace contacts within a school, and aggregate crucial data to help public health officials track the situation.

“This school year is going to open completely different than any school year ever has,” said Bob Read, Frontline’s Vice President of Student Solutions.

The stakes are high, as around 20 percent of the nation’s entire population is directly involved in the K-12 education space. This means that any school outbreaks could have a huge ripple effect on entire communities.

In preparation for the new school year, the goal for Frontline was to provide nurses – who will be the first line of defense against future outbreaks – with what they need to better handle the oncoming challenge. One of the steps toward achieving this goal was converting its health management product into a COVID-19 data management tool.

Read more about Frontline Education in the Philadelphia Business Journal here.