In planning for a new technology or expanding an
existing one, there are two aspects of budgeting to
be considered: the initial costs and ongoing funding to
support the program over time.
INITIAL INVESTMENT
There is little doubt that launching a one-to-one
laptop program or other major technology initiative
requires initial funding that goes beyond the usual
cost of equipping classrooms for a new school year.
Fortunately, these initial costs can often be covered
by special-purpose funding such as:
Foundation Grants: There are numerous foundation
grants available to school districts or school sites
that apply for them. Millions of dollars are available—some of which is given on a one-time basis, while other
grants are renewable on an annual basis depending
on the results of the implementation. There are many
foundations in the private sector that allocate funds
to schools willing to take the steps to bring in innovative
learning environments that will develop students to
be successful workers in the 21st century.
Community Bonds and Allocations: Local bond
issues have been successful in locations such as
Irving ISD in Texas, where parents and community
members have been confident about the positive
effects such measures can have for students and
the economy.
Statewide Pilots and Seed Funding: Although
recent financial woes have made it difficult for many
states to launch new technology initiatives, some
states are continuing to support ambitious 21stcentury
initiatives. One example is the state of Maine,
whose pioneering one-to-one middle school laptop
program, the Maine Learning Technology Initiative, has recently begun expanding
to high schools. The funding is more limited than that
available to the middle schools that were involved in
phase one of the program but the state has been
involved in negotiating affordable lease prices
and providing infrastructure and professional
development.
It is worth noting that the adoption of a 21stcentury
learning environment—and all of the tools
it entails—is not solely a capital investment. While
it may seem like bringing in a huge quantity of
computers and software applications would fall into
the capital portion of a budget, other relevant budget
categories include textbooks/instructional materials,
curriculum development, technology funding and
facilities upgrades. Spreading out the costs, instead
of lumping them into one category of the budget,
can make a huge difference to the success of funding
a technology initiative.
ONGOING COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
When considering a one-to-one implementation
or other major technology initiative, schools must determine the total cost of ownership (TCO).
Examples of ongoing expenditures include hardware maintenance and replacement, subscription fees for premium online content, and the cost of professional development. Schools that are involved in an ambitious technology initiative should expect to set aside a percentage of their annual operational budgets to support it. Possible sources of support for ongoing initiatives include:
Grants: In addition to funding initial investments, a number of foundations are willing to provide ongoing support for programs that have proven themselves worthy.
Discounts: Whether through the federal eRate program or partnerships with local service providers, schools can often receive discounts on online services and technical support.
Support From Local Organizations: Many companies, higher education institutions, and civic organizations recognize the value of supporting local schools in their efforts to provide today's students with 21st-century skills. Hardware donations and programs that place volunteers in the schools to provide technical support and education to students and teachers are two examples of ways that local organizations can help schools while reaping both tax and PR benefits.
Community Partnerships: Many districts have recognized major benefits and cost savings by working with local leaders on mutually beneficial initiatives such as Wide Area Networks that serve both the schools and other parts of the community.
Family Contributions: Most one-to-one initiatives today charge a nominal fee to families that are signing out computers for 24/7 use. These fees typically cover insurance or other costs related to computer maintenance. To ensure equity, most of these districts will waive such fees for families who cannot afford them.
In addition to looking for innovative and realistic approaches to TCO budgeting, it is important to
look for the ways in which the innovative use of technology can actually save a district money. The long-term effects of one-to-one adoption, for example, can bring many parts of an annual budget down after year one. Now that states are loosening restrictions on textbook purchases, some districts are using funding formerly used for traditional print content to pay for less expensive online curriculum and other digital content. In another
example, communications costs can be drastically reduced as schools begin corresponding with families through the one-to-one technology in use by their children.