It's every Web-savvy, caring parent's dream.

With nothing more than an Internet connection, a user name and a password, Jackson parents can take a look at almost every aspect of their children's education.

Thanks to ParentLink, which cost the district nothing more than some inexpensive software and the time to install it, mothers and fathers can find out online their children's daily course schedule, current day attendance, attendance history, grades for the current year, grade history, lunch deposits and charges, lunch history and balances and fines and fees.

Even better, the district is planning changes next year that will allow parents to see their children's daily grades on class assignments.

Parents can access their child's information from any computer by logging on to www.jackson.k12.mo.us and clicking on the ParentLink icon.

To sign up for the program, parents must register at their children's schools. The schools provide user names and passwords.

Introduction of this program is a clear indicator that the Jackson School District invites parental involvement in every way possible.