As July rolls around, educators and administrators across K-12 and higher education are deep into preparation mode for the upcoming academic year. From student registration packets to course syllabi, school directories to promotional materials, summer is a critical window for aligning print infrastructure and processes.
But too often, poor print planning can lead to costly bottlenecks, missed deadlines, and operational inefficiencies that impact the first weeks of school. Whether you're managing an in-plant print shop or coordinating with an outside vendor, here are six common back-to-school print mistakes to avoid — and how to get ahead of them.
By the time the new school year arrives, many print vendors are operating at full capacity. Delaying production until the last minute can mean missed delivery dates or rushed jobs.
Pro Tip: Start pre-printing materials like enrollment forms, student handbooks, and orientation packets in early to mid-July. Build in buffer time for proofing, approvals, and reprints.
Many schools misjudge how much they'll need for the start of school, leading to supply shortages and emergency jobs that strain budgets.
Pro Tip: Use last year’s usage data to forecast needs and set print quotas by department. Consider deploying a print management solution like PaperCut MF to help track print volumes in real time.
If your printers and copiers have been idle since May or June, now’s the time for proactive service. Skipping maintenance can result in breakdowns during your busiest window.
Pro Tip: Schedule a July maintenance check-up for all critical devices. Replace worn parts, update firmware, and check toner levels across the fleet.
Student data is among the most sensitive types of information a school handles. Printing class schedules, transcripts, or IEPs without secure release protocols creates risk.
Pro Tip: Implement secure print release features and user authentication to ensure only authorized personnel can access printed documents. This is essential for FERPA compliance.
Staff onboarding and student orientation come with a mountain of printed materials—ID cards, welcome packets, IT guides. Forgetting to plan these early can throw your whole schedule off.
Pro Tip: Build onboarding print requests into your July production schedule and assign ownership for content updates and approvals.
Administrators often assume faculty and staff know when print requests are due—but without clear communication, delays are inevitable.
Pro Tip: Send a school-wide email or post on your staff intranet outlining deadlines for back-to-school print jobs, with links to request forms and contact info.
Back-to-school season is your print environment’s equivalent of the holiday rush in retail. Thoughtful preparation in July ensures smooth operations when school is back in session.
Want help managing your school’s print environment? Contact SumnerOne for a free print assessment and discover how managed print services can streamline your school year from day one.