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 The New Math
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2010 – Vol. II
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E-mail article
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John Petzke, Executive Director of Technology Services
Allen Classen, Director of Information Systems
Donald Ringelestein, Director of Instructional Systems
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Oswego Community Schools - Oswego, IL
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BETWEEN THE PERIODIC TEACHER STRIKES, budget squeezes, and program cuts, it can seem sometimes as though financial hardship hangs over our public schools like a cloud of volcanic ash, even when the economy is strong. Throw in a Great Recession and things can really get tight. Detroit closed nearly 15 percent of its schools before classes began last fall, and Kansas City is looking at shutting the doors on almost half to bring costs in line with funding.
Is it possible to be a forward-thinking IT leader in such a climate? It’s not only possible – say Oswego, Illinois Community Unit School District (CUSD) 308 Executive Director of Technology Services John Petzke, Director of Information Systems Allen Clasen, and Director of Instructional Systems Donald Ringelestein – it’s absolutely critical. The key point to remember is that a diligent IT group is one of the few school departments that can enable cost savings virtually across the board.
When faced with tight-and-getting-tighter budgets, the typical gut reaction doesn’t have as much to do with innovation as with reduction of capabilities and services. True IT leaders, however, know that investment in innovation often leads to cost savings. All well and good, one might say, but how is it possible to invest when it seems like everybody else is cutting? By keeping in mind that “forward thinking” isn’t limited to technology upgrades, because technology provides efficiencies when implemented correctly.
FINDING FUNDS
In educational environments such as Oswego CUSD 308, one vital source of off-the-balance-sheet funding is grants. Many funders favor educational initiatives, particularly those that involve innovation. Another potential resource may be found no further than the monthly services. Oswego is constantly reviewing contracts for telecommunication, support agreements for hardware, and software licensing to confirm that what is being purchased is necessary, contributing to the district’s strategic goals, and is the most cost-effective solution available. In their experience, cost savings can almost always be found. The district also is diligent about recouping telecommunications costs by thorough billing management and tracking to document reimbursable costs.
Seeking out and engaging in purchasing alliances, some of which are federally subsidized, is another way to free resources for other uses. Oswego keeps a handle on its telecommunications and Internet access costs through the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, commonly known as E-Rate (www.usac.org); its cellular phone expenses through the Western States Contracting Alliance (www.aboutwsca.org); and its office supply expenditures through the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance (www.uscommunities.org). Vendor partnerships provide other opportunities for conservative fiscal management, particularly in the area of printer and copier support, where school districts can have both high usage and multiple suppliers willing to bargain.
SPENDING TO SAVE
Technological innovation is another method driving Oswego School District cost savings. Installing data projectors in every classroom has drastically reduced not only the use of handouts and the associated paper and printing costs, but also has obviated the need for DVD players. Furthermore, every copier and printer is connected to the network with no direct PC connections allowed, which allows comprehensive usage tracking to minimize waste. The District Copy Center allows teachers to submit copy jobs online, with pricing and approval provided as part of the application, allowing staff to direct time spent making copies back to the classroom. Oswego also has standardized desktop units to maximize the use of PC software images and applications. Finally, Google Mail is the standard for faculty and staff, a free service that reduces internal server management requirements.
The beauty of technological innovation in an educational environment is it can produce not only measurable cost savings but immeasurable impact on the students for whom the platforms are employed. One of the Oswego high schools employs a virtual learning resource center with a virtualized desktop solution, and not only are the students using it voraciously, they’re treating the equipment with respect, showing they appreciate the computing solutions the district is providing. Smart boards are attracting junior high students, a group not usually prone to participation, to get up in front of their peers in order to interact with the technology. It’s the difference between having a neat gadget and a genuine teaching tool.
For IT professionals in today’s educational environments, a key struggle is the conflict between the continuing emergence of better technologies and the shrinking budgets available to procure them. The IT leaders of Oswego CUSD 308 are focusing on both sides of the equation: doing all they can to minimize required spending, while also employing innovation to get more bang for their bucks. And in the process, they’re helping students achieve their educational goals.
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