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Zach Colick
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| Joined: | Mon Jan 15th, 2007 |
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Posted: Mon Jun 8th, 2009 10:59 pm |
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Editor's note: The following story appears in the June 11 Town of Paradise Valley Independent. Post comments by hitting reply in the upper right-hand corner. Comments will be posted in an upcoming issue of the Town of Paradise Valley Independent.
SUSD proposes new technology for 2009-10 school year
By Zach Colick
Independent Newspapers
The Scottsdale Unified School District could save $1 million during the next four years with the installation of new technology in all district classrooms for the 2009-10 school year.
A proposal was heard during the Governing Board’s June 2 meeting to support the fast-tracking of purchasing equipment, materials and labor in greater volume to provide greater equity of technology in all classrooms.
The proposal must be approved by the Governing Board at a June 16 meeting to implement new technology in all of the district’s 33 schools.
By purchasing the items now, district officials estimate a savings of more than $1 million through 2013 as opposed to purchasing the same quantities piecemeal during the next several years, according to Tom Clark, executive director of technology and information systems.
Mr. Clark said three vendors recently presented bids to the district in order to partner with the district to implement new technologies this fall. CCS Presentation Systems’ bid of $4 million beat out two other companies that bid $4.7 million and $5.2 million respectively.
If approved, classroom additions include installing new ceiling-mounted projectors, document cameras, a wireless sound system and an interactive whiteboard or hand-held wireless slate. Mr. Clark said all additions could be in place by October.
The proposal is also tied to a comprehensive professional development plan for faculty, with incentives to participate and support the effective use of technology in classrooms.
As an incentive, up to 500 teachers per year who participate in the district’s professional development program would receive a laptop computer.
The laptop can also be used to participate in online professional development classes offered by SUSD, as well as more traditional models for professional development.
“The professional development really becomes the centerpiece of the program because we know that without it the technology will have little meaning in terms of supporting student-learning in the classroom,” Mr. Clark said.
The accelerated technology plan requires the district to seek financing to implement the $4 million proposal. Scottsdale voters approved a capital outlay override in November 2007.
The override provides SUSD with $4.7 million per year during the next seven years for technology, supporting improvements to school networks, telephone systems, software and classroom technology.
Because the district needs to address funding for classroom computers as well as software and network upgrades, accelerated funding is required to complete the proposal for next year.
“Although there is a cost associated with borrowing against future years of funding from the override, the district will still come out way ahead. The pricing we are seeing right now is because of the current economy,” Mr. Clark said.
“We have a great window of opportunity to put this technology in the hands of all students, while being more efficient with taxpayer money.”
Mr. Clark presented three proposals to help finance the technology program. The Governing Board chose option A, which would require the district’s technology and information system’s department to borrow $6 million next year to fund the purchase.
The department would then pay back the loan with increments of more than $1.6 million for the next four years.
If the technology program is approved by the Governing Board, 1,750 desktop computers would be allocated equally among all district classrooms and 500 teachers would receive a district-owned laptop. Each classroom would also be outfitted with new telephone lines to provide for district-wide unification.
Governing Board members Dr. Eric Meyer, M.D. and Bonnie Sneed said they were concerned about the district’s long-term plan in replacing the new desktop computers and laptops since they would all be installed at the same time and have roughly the same lifespan.
Both were worried many classrooms would be without computers if they were all to be replaced at the same time, especially if overrides were not in place for the district to financially support the decision to purchase replacements.
Governing Board member Dieter Schaefer was concerned with the purchase of 500 laptops. While he supports the district implementing new technologies, Mr. Schaefer questioned whether it was the best financial move given the state’s economic situation and because many teachers may not be computer-savvy enough to use them.
Superintendent Dr. Gary Catalani extended his support to the proposal.
“Much of our newly purchased curriculum contains technological applications, such as online textbooks, supportive software and other learning and teaching tools,” he said. “This classroom technology will allow us to deliver the curriculum as it was designed.”
Members of the Capital Outlay Oversight Committee, which monitors district expenditures of the funds, have expressed some concerns over the district’s ability to fund the project and have it in place by this fall.
Funds received by SUSD from the capital override are not impacted by changes to the state funding formula for education. These funds cannot be used to help support teacher positions or programs being impacted by state budget reductions.
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