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Presented in reverse chronological order:
“eSN Special Supplement -- Money Matters, January 2009”
http://www.eschoolnews.com/news
You’ll learn how to shield important ed-tech programs from the budget knife with quotes from CoSN’s TCO Project Director, Rich Kaestner (page 20).
“How To Boost Operating Efficiency With TCO”
http://www.bmighty.com/hardware_software/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=211800110
An industry neutral overview of TCO along with a generic spreadsheet calculator.
The May/June, 2008 issue of EdTech Magazine
The May/June, 2008 issue of EdTech Magazine contains an article titled "Getting the Answers," which addresses reasons for conducting a TCO assessment and an overview of the TCO process. Read this informative article here.
2008 User Submitted TCO Case Studies
- Submitted by Michele Cooper from the Denver School of Science and Technology:
DSST is an innovative 451-student public charter high school (grades 9 – 12) with a one-to-one student computing program. They are located on a 10-acre site in the newly redeveloped Stapleton neighborhood in northeast Denver. Read more about their one-to-one student computing evaluation and TCO assessment.
Summer 2007 TCO eNewsletter
Topics covered:
- VOI Case Studies
- TCO/VOI Article
- Updated VOI Benefits Workbook
Read the full newsletter here.
Value Judgements
This article by Neal Starkman, writing for T.H.E. Journal focuses on a superintendent level perspective
concerning using TCO to get a handle on technology planning and costs and provides an overview of the process for
conducting a TCO assessment in enough detail for district leaders to understand what is involved. Kershaw County SD in
South Carolina and Watertown SD in South Dakota serve as mini case studies.
Value of Investment in Technology: Simple Questions, Difficult to Answer
This article, written by TCO/VOI project director Rich Kaestner, originally appeared in the November 2006 issue of
School Business Affairs magazine and is reprinted with permission of the
Association of School Business Officials International. The text
herein does not necessarily represent the views or policies of ASBO International, and use of this imprint does not
imply any endorsement or recognition by ASBO International and its officers or affiliates.
Winter 2005-2006 TCO eNewsletter
Topics covered:
- CoSN TCO Project to Perform One-to-One Case Studies
- CoSN Honored for Helping Educators Budget for Total Cost of Ownership of Technology
- CoSN’s 11th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference to Focus on Measuring the VALUE of Education Technology
- TCO in the News
- Upcoming TCO Training Events
Read the full newsletter here.
Smart Budgeting for Technology - Total Cost of Ownership for School Leaders
This Smart Budgeting for Technology course will provide appropriate, timely, targeted resources for technology budgeting;
help you deal with issues of fiscal accountability and ongoing technology costs; provide a framework outlining the major
considerations when budgeting for technology integration; and help you respond to the school board and community concerns
about investments in educational technology. For more information, see
www.cosn.org/events/nsba/smart_budgeting.cfm.
To register for the course now,
go to www.nsba.org/olc/olc.cfm.
The Decision to Replace Old Computers
The Rapid City Journal reports a decision by the Rapid City School District to sell all computers older than five
years. This represents a considerable investment for the district, in an attempt to streamline operations and provide
capable technology for student use. From a TCO perspective, the district stands to gain significantly from this
investment, which will simplify tech support and network infrastructure while improving productivity on the part of the
users. In Rapid City, as in many districts, most old computers have been relegated to student use. The full article can be
found at www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2005/06/22/news/local/news09.txt.
Old Computers=Thin Client?
A recent eSchool News story on
thin client technology suggests that repurposing outdated workstations as Linux-based thin clients hooked up to powerful
backend servers may be good way to stretch your technology dollar. But CoSN’s TCO Project Director Rich Kaestner warns
that districts need to consider the full integration costs, maintenance costs, and customer (student) satisfaction costs of
such a solution. While a certain level of computer triaging makes sense, resurrecting eight-year old computers from the
closet and attaching them to the network could be asking for trouble.
Taking Total Cost of Ownership to the Classroom Training
Monday, June 27
Philadelphia, PA
Join TCO project director Rich Kaestner at ISTE’s annual NECC as you learn how to maximize your investment in technology during tight fiscal times. This workshop will address TCO issues, discuss keys for performing a successful TCO analysis and provide a live demonstration of the free Consortium for School Networking-Gartner TCO tool, reviewing input data and the calculated results. The goal is to train trainers and to prepare K-12 technology leaders for implementation of TCO for their schools or districts.
center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2005/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=6558630
2005 Compendium Released, Includes Monograph on TCO and TVO
The 2005 CoSN Compendium is now available for purchase from the
CoSN Catalog. The following is a summary of one of the six
monographs found in the Compendium.
From TCO to TVO: Measuring Total Value of Ownership for K-12 Technology
Determining overall technology cost—a concept known as Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)—can help education leaders conduct the most comprehensive
assessment possible to determine how well they are managing their technology infrastructure.
When evaluating various technology initiatives, school or district leaders must also determine value of potential projects. The TVO discussion is a
method for understanding the value of educational technology. Appropriate questions to guide the TVO discussion of K-12 IT investments are:
- What is the initiative?
- What does the technology do?
- To what degree is the initiative operationally efficient?
- What is the constituent level of service?
- What are the political implications?
The value of IT in education – and other public sector enterprises – can be approached through a triangulation strategy built around three vertices:
(1) Operational Efficiency, (2) Constituent Service Level and (3) Political Return.
Dead Electronics Going to Waste
A recent article in the Washington Post, “Dead Electronics Going to Waste”
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24672-2005Jan20.html),
highlights a topic that we will be hearing much more about. The increasing disposal volume of computers and other electronic equipment represents a
rapidly growing hazardous waste problem. While no EPA or other universal solutions are presented, safe recycling costs money. Bottle returns work for
soft drinks; be ready for computer, display, handheld and mobile phone deposits at purchase which would be redeemed upon proper disposal.
Center for Digital Education Releases a New White Paper on TCO
The Center for Digital Education recently published a white paper titled “Rethinking Processes: Reducing Costs and Maximizing Resources in
Education.” As schools and institutions in the U.S. and abroad deal with shrinking budgets and other issues, they are simultaneously being
asked to be more accountable for student performance and outcomes. Schools and institutions around the world, therefore, have to find new
ways to fund initiatives that deliver outcomes while dealing with the numerous challenges they face on a daily basis. Using case study
examples, this white paper,
media.centerdigitalgov.com/RethinkingProcess.paper.pdf,
explores five ways to address the need for technology efficiencies for K-12 schools and colleges: strategic sourcing, streamlining, shared services
strategies, outsourcing, and enterprise energy management. Use of the CoSN-Gartner TCO tool can be used to provide a quantifiable approach to
evaluating these alternatives.
Wall Street Journal: Donating Old PCs May Trump Efficiency of Recycling Them
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal discusses the relative merits of recycling versus disposing of older computers. A suggested recipient
for these recycled computers is schools.
CoSN takes the stance that schools and districts should be cautious about accepting donated computers; while capable used computers provide a needed
source for additional technology, K-12 schools should not be the dumping ground for other’s hazardous waste.
When considering donated computers:
- Be sure that they meet your configuration standards to minimize hardware, software and integration support problems.
- Understand what will be necessary to commission them in your environment, including new user training and network requirements.
- As these systems will have a relatively short useful life, be sure to have a replacement strategy.
You can read this article at: www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=1923495801
Does Use of Open Source Software Lower TCO?
The use of “free” open source software such a Linux on servers, Open Office for personal productivity, and various network and Web management
offerings certainly allows school districts the opportunity to save considerable money on software purchases. This is the topic of a recent EdWeek
article by Andrew Trotter (www.edweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=05linux.h24),
which is well worth reading.
Some concerns about the pervasive use of open source software include:
- Availability of applications to run under/with the open software offering
- Availability of support technicians
- Robustness of security
- Lack of formal support, as would be provided by a vendor
CoSN feels that selective use of open source software can provide savings (when looking at all costs from a TCO perspective). A district should
review open source software opportunities by application area, but with the understanding of support, training and integration implications of adding
yet another application or operating system.
To see how a small district implemented Linux and Open Office, look at CoSN’s Missouri district TCO case study
(classroomtco.cosn.org/missouri.pdf).
School Budgeting for Technology Takes A New Approach with Use of CoSN’s TCO Tool
1,000 School Districts Now Using Tool
For Immediate Release
April 16, 2004
Contact:
Jodie Pozo-Olano
(804) 269-3732
jpocomm@aol.com
Washington, DC. – From small rural school districts to large suburban school districts, school leaders are finding great value in the Consortium
for School Networking’s (CoSN) online Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Tool. Launched last year with support from the U.S. Department of Education, the TCO
Tool is being used by over 1,000 school districts to provide information school leaders can use to support education technology budgets and initiatives.
As discussed in the 2004 TCO Case studies, the TCO Tool offers schools a formalized process for assessing the costs of managing their technology
investments. Costs for wireless communications, voice/data integration and e-learning are also addressed in these case studies. In addition to the 2004
TCO Case Studies, CoSN also announced a three-part training program to provide additional guidance in technology budgeting.
“Technology, when used effectively, can be a powerful accelerator in helping schools meet achievement goals set forth in No Child Left Behind,” said
Keith Krueger, CEO, CoSN. “A growing number of schools taking are taking a results-driven approach and maximizing funding for education technology
resources through TCO.”
By focusing on emerging technologies, the four 2004 TCO Case Studies released today by CoSN can be used as guides for other school districts looking
for methods for maximizing technology budgets and for building efficiencies in tracking overall technology costs. The school districts participating
in the 2004 TCO Case Studies included: Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, VA; Round Rock Independent School District, Round Rock, Texas; Kenosha
Unified School District No. 1, Kenosha, WI; and Wellington-Napoleon R-9 School District, Wellington, MO. (Copies of the 2004 TCO Case Studies can be
downloaded at: classroomtco.cosn.org/gartner_intro.html.)
The 2004 TCO Case Studies were developed by gathering data from each participating school district. The data provide each district with a baseline TCO
analysis that varies based on its own data collection methods, organizational structure, size, technology choices, support philosophies and other
variables. Once a district has used the tool to establish this baseline, it can then begin to assess the potential impact of budgetary and strategic
decisions, including planned technology initiatives.
"Total cost of ownership (TCO) is a critical component in technology planning. At Fairfax County Public Schools we encourage analyzing and comparing
TCO with the total benefits of ownership (TBO) to determine technology purchases. This gives us a balanced perspective and basis for prioritization
in tight budget situations,” said Maribeth Luftglass, CIO, of the large suburban district.
In the Fairfax district, where technology is leveraged throughout all phases of student and administrative computing, the TCO analysis outlined some
specific challenges and costs associated with managing a complex technology environment. Having employed an internal TCO approach to technology
cost/benefit analysis for several years, the district was able to use the new analysis to review how it had progressed in developing its technology
infrastructure. The TCO tool will now provide the district with the ability to do more formal, regular comparisons.
The Fairfax case study also looked at the district’s online learning initiative and identified ways in which the district could monitor the TCO of
this initiative in the future. By comparison, the TCO case study of Wellington-Napoleon, a small, rural school district serving 450 students in
Missouri, found a district with less of a technology investment and lower direct labor costs per client computer. The case study suggested that the
district needs to address how it will replace its hardware on a regular basis and raised a concern about the potential over-reliance on donated
computers. It was also recommended that the district give more attention to teaching staff development to ensure that the technology was used to
its full potential. The need to invest in dynamic data recovery capabilities for their Linux servers is also discussed. This TCO Case Study also
evaluates voice-data integration costs versus other voice alternatives for this small school district.
Daniel Honore, director of information services at Kenosha Unified School District No. 1 in Kenosha, WI, said his district found going through the
TCO process well worth the effort. "The process of collecting, validating and reporting the data was very worthwhile. The school district now has
a benchmark by which future planning can be accomplished with more clarity, relevance and above all accuracy."
The case study from the Kenosha district, which has 21,500 students, also reviews the importance of planning for the regular replacement of hardware.
The case study reviews a range of technological solutions from e-learning to wireless computers on carts and some initial voice/data integration
project costs. School technology leaders plan to use the TCO analysis as a basis for ongoing review of the costs of specific technology environments
within the district.
"Participating in the 2004 TCO case study was well worth the time and effort to collect the necessary data,” said Ed Zaiontz, Executive Director of
Information Services, Round Rock Independent School District. “Although this district has had a focus on total cost of ownership issues, additional
opportunities were uncovered in the TCO study (e.g. server consolidation) that will help to reduce ongoing technology costs and ensure that all
costs are considered when future technology initiatives are proposed, discussed, and implemented."
A TCO analysis in Round Rock Independent School District, serving 35,500 students in Round Rock, Texas, provided school leaders with a good concept
of all costs and in a better position to substantiate these costs for coming technology initiatives. The case study reviews the district’s voice/data
integration via a fiber network connecting all buildings within the 110 square mile district is described, along with cost and functional benefits of
this approach to handling voice communications. The costs associated with wireless computers on carts are also studied.
Accompanying the TCO Tool and Case Studies, CoSN has also developed, through support of the U.S. Department of Education, a three-part training session
designed to guide school leaders through the TCO analysis process. These sessions allow participants to actually complete an analysis and interpret the
results using your own data. The course will be held: May 4, May 28 and June 8. Registration is required and can be completed online at:
classroomtco.cosn.org/news.html.
CoSN launched its Taking TCO to the Classroom (www.classroomtco.org) initiative in 1999 to
help school leaders understand all of the costs associated with managing their computer networks. In 2003, CoSN released the online TCO Tool and four
Case Studies, discussing the experiences of four districts as they used the tool to review their TCO. CoSN’s tools and resources are designed to help
school leaders understand such key areas as budgeting for tech support and staff development and best practices for managing network resources.
Business partners have provided additional support for dissemination of information about the tool. They include eClassroom, Hewlett-Packard, Intel,
Sprint, 3Com, AOL@School, AT&T, Blackboard, Dell Computer, eChalk, Plato Learning, Texas Instruments, as well as our media partner Education Projects
in Education (publisher of Education Week). North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium at Learning Point Associates is also a partner
in the project.
About the Consortium for School Networking
Founded in 1992, CoSN (www.cosn.org) is the preeminent national voice on the use of the Internet and
information technologies to improve K-12 learning. It played a leading role in creation of the E-rate and other key national education technology
initiatives over the past decade. It is a “CIO-type” organization for education technology leaders from the school district, state and national level.
TCO Sponsor Quotes
"TCO consideration should be a vital element of every school and district technology plan. Intel is happy to support the TCO initiative and hopes all
schools take advantage of this very important information"
-- Terry Smithson
Education Strategist
Intel
"Sprint believes that case studies can be a very effective means of demonstrating the value of deploying a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) methodology
within school districts,” said. “By utilizing TCO methodologies, school districts are in a better position to leverage limited technology funds and
to make a stronger case for investment in technology solutions that can positively impact both student achievement and family involvement. Through
Sprint's Empowered Education Initiative, which is based on improving the TCO of a district, we are helping schools deploy such innovative technology
applications that are accessible anywhere, anytime."
-- Joni Lindquist
Vice President of Marketing
Sprint
"US school districts spend billions of dollars a year to build IT infrastructures and equip their students and teachers with personal computing devices.
The current economic environment and demand for accountability require K-12 education leaders to ensure they fully utilize technology to improve student
learning and get the best return on their IT investment."
-- Christian Childs
K-12 Education Programs Manager
HP
"Technology is a means, not an end, to K-12 education and so anything that can be done to help maximize its impact on learning while minimizing its
cost and burden is a worthwhile effort. We are encouraged to see more and more schools and school districts picking up on the notion of TCO. Their
intent to stay focused on their true core business of educating students is the likely explanation behind this growing trend."
-- Torrance Robinson
President and Co-founder
eChalk
“PLATO Learning is pleased to be a participant in CoSN’s Taking TCO to the Classroom initiative, which first began in 1999. Over the years, we have
seen, firsthand, how this initiative has helped educate both school districts and education technology companies. As a result of the TCO reports, we,
at PLATO Learning, feel that we have a better understanding of both the monetary constraints and the instructional needs of schools, and are therefore
better able to serve them and meet their needs.”
-- Kathy Hurley
VP, Education Industry Affairs
PLATO Learning, Inc.
"Technology has increasingly become critical to the infrastructure of our nation's schools. We believe those responsible for the deployment of education
technology will find the COSN TCO tools and case studies to be valuable resources in understanding how to maximize their IT investment."
-- Scott L Campbell
VP Sales, K-12
Dell
"District technology leaders face critical decisions on how best to deploy essential resources - people, new technologies, existing technologies - in
a fashion that balances efficiency and sustainability. As districts around the country introduce e-Learning solutions like Blackboard, the CoSN TCO
tools and case studies equip them with the frameworks and examples needed to effectively plan for long term success and impact."
-- Patrick Supanc
Senior Director, K-12 Markets
Blackboard Inc.
CoSN Presents a New Program on Teaching You TCO Analysis
A step-by step walk-through of the TCO process using your own data
CoSN presents a three-part training session designed to help school leaders through the TCO analysis process. These sessions allow participants to
actually complete an analysis and interpret the results using your own data. School leaders like yourself can sign up for all three parts if
you wish to perform a TCO analysis for their school/district, or just the first part by itself as a general means of getting started with TCO analysis.
Tuesday, May 4, 2004
3:00 – 4:30 PM. ET
Part I will provide an overview of what is Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), why it is important, and how to do a TCO study. This Webcast will walk through
a demonstration of the CoSN/Gartner K-12 TCO Tool, review the input fields, and provide suggestions for collecting the data and performing a successful
analysis. The objective of this Webcast is to get you ready to perform their own district’s TCO analysis.
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
3:00 – 4:30 PM. ET
Part II will review results of participants’ data gathering efforts to-date, and respond to questions or problems with data gathering or the tool in
general, including a discussion of reasonable values for input data. This interactive teleconference, complete with program materials, is a less-structured
touch-point to be sure participants are on track to complete the data gathering effort. CoSN's TCO experts will work with participants to field questions,
issues and concerns.
Tuesday, June 8, 2004
3:00 – 4:30 PM. ET
Part III will review the TCO Tool results of the participants’ studies. The data and results for willing participants will have been reviewed by our
TCO experts prior to this teleconference. We will also share samples that provide key messages and have the opportunity for additional individual questions.
Pricing:
The cost for all three parts is $249 for CoSN Members and $299 for non-members. The series includes Part I's initial Webcast, the conference calls for Parts II
and III, and the program materials.
The cost of only the Part I Webcast is $99 for Members and $129 for non-members.
Please note that the cost is per Webcast connection or conference call line, so that more than one person in a location or district--the entire “TCO
team”--can participate in any of these sessions!
Don't delay, though--space is limited!
Requirements to Participate
To participate your computer should have the following specifications:
- A Pentium 200Mhz (or faster) with 64 MB RAM or higher (128 MB RAM preferred)
- Display resolution of 800 X 600 pixels or higher (1024 X 768 is recommended)
- Internet connection of 33kbps or faster
- Sound card with speakers
-
Windows (98se, ME, XP, NT 4.0, 2000) with:
- Internet Explorer 4.0 or later
- Netscape Navigator 4 or later
- Netscape 6.2 or later (with standard install defaults)
- AOL 7
- CompuServe 7 (2000 & XP only)
- Mozilla 1.0 or later
- Opera 7
-
Or Macintosh (8.6, 9.0 - 9.2, OS X 10.1 or later). The Flash Player Netscape plug-in works with:
- Netscape 4.5 or later (OS 8.6 - 9.2 only)
- Netscape 6.2 or later
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.1 or later
- Mozilla 1.0 or later
- CompuServe 7 (OS 10.1 or later)
-
Or Linux (RedHat Linux 7.2 or later) with:
Announcing a New Giveaway for the 1000th User of the CoSN/Gartner TCO Tool!
Currently, more and more school districts like yours are discovering the power and possibility found from using the CoSN/Gartner TCO Tool. Isn’t it
time that you joined them?
As an added incentive to get your district to begin using the CoSN/Gartner TCO Tool, we’re offering the 1000th registrant for the Tool an exciting prize
package:
-
Two free registrations to the 10th Annual CoSN K-12 School Networking Conference, the
premier event for education leaders on technology and learning through the Internet;
-
A copy of the 2004 CoSN Compendium, featuring a look at eight issues of
vital importance to education technology leaders, and;
-
Other great tools and benefits that will help you in your role as an education professional!
The winner will be announced on April 16th. But hurry—more districts are registering every day, and it’s only a matter of time before the 1000th user
will register! Shouldn’t it be you?
CoSN Releases 2004 TCO Case Studies on Emerging Technologies
Three-Part Professional Development Course Introduced
Media Advisory
April 8, 2004
Washington, DC – The Consortium for School Network (CoSN) will release four new Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Case Studies developed from working
with school districts from Missouri, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. Each of the 2004 TCO Case Studies looks at how school districts are utilizing important
new technologies to help meet educational goals in these model school districts. CoSN will also unveil a new, three-part professional development program
designed to help districts perform, analyze and interpret TCO findings.
What: Press Conference Call – 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.
During the briefing, CoSN will present four new school district TCO Case Studies and provide overview of the new professional development courses. The
new case studies focus on several new technologies including:
- online learning strategies
- wireless technology
- voice/data integration
Who: Consortium for School Networking and representatives from the TCO Case Study School Districts
When: Friday, April 16, 2004; 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. EST
Where: Teleconference Call: 1.800.416.8128; Participant code: 239789
CoSN launched its Taking TCO to the Classroom (www.classroomtco.org) initiative in 1999 to help school leaders
understand all of the costs associated with managing their computer networks. CoSN’s tools and resources are designed to help school leaders understand
such key areas as budgeting for tech support and staff development and best practices for managing network resources.
About the Consortium for School Networking
Founded in 1992, CoSN (www.cosn.org) is the preeminent national voice on the use of the Internet and
information technologies to improve K-12 learning. It played a leading role in creation of the E-rate and other key national education technology
initiatives over the past decade. It is a “CIO-type” organization for education technology leaders from the school district, state and national level.
Contact:
JPO Communications
Jodie Pozo-Olano, (804) 269-3732 (office), (804) 986-6911 (mobile)
jpocomm@aol.com
Understanding Where You Are to Help Plan Where You Are Going
CoSN recently presented a pair of PowerPoint Presentations at two recent regional education conferences on the subject of "Understanding Where You
Are to Help Plan Where You Are Going" with regards to TCO. You can download copies of these presentations below:
CoSN’s Annual K-12 School Networking Conference:
Highlights Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Sessions
CoSN’s 9th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference, scheduled for March 1-4, 2004 in Arlington, Virginia, is featuring a number of presentations and
discussions on total cost of ownership, including a preconference workshop. Don't miss your opportunity to attend this leading national conference for
the district and state education technology leader. This year's theme is Personalization & Empowerment: No Child Left Behind and Technology. In
addition to the annual conference, CoSN also hosts the Annual International Research-Symposium and the CoSN/ISTE Advocacy Day on March 4, 2004. For
additional information, or to register, visit www.k12schoolnetworking.org.
TCO Workshop & Sessions
Pre Conference Workshop*--District Technology Leadership Institute Essential Skills for School Technology Leaders: "Taking Total Cost of Ownership
to the Classroom"
The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) will offer a special session for trainers interested in presenting the CoSN-developed workshop, "Taking
Total Cost of Ownership to the Classroom". This half-day session is designed to present workshop materials and resources being offered to address the
pressing need for training school technology leaders on K-12 school total cost of ownership issues, including planning, budgeting, implementation
and evaluation.
The workshop materials and resources are designed for presenting a half-day workshop for technology decision makers and teams involved in planning
for effective use of technology. Participant materials, along with the trainer's PowerPoint presentation file with trainer notes, are useful for
district technology and other administrators responsible for supporting effective technology utilization across a district.
Participants will be provided with an overview of the topics and resources organized for this workshop and learn about the sources and studies included
in the workshop materials. Participants will receive a copy of the workshop's Participant Workbook and become certified to purchase single or multiple
use training materials following the session, should participants have interest in doing so.
- Vicki Smith Bigham, CoSN Professional Development Director & President, Bigham Technology Solutions, Inc.
*Workshop fee is $99. Register early, space is limited.
W307: Empowering eLearning [SPOTLIGHT SESSION]
Are schools getting their value from their investment in educational technology? Can schools afford the constant change in technology and software?
This seminar focuses on a new way to manage and affectively use educational software and tools through an Internet based web hosting model. This session
will illustrate the Efficiency, Consistency, Reliability, Customization, and the Cost-effectiveness through TCO of the web hosting model. Most important,
the seminar will demonstrate the integration between assessment, state standards and educational software and tools to improve student achievement and
family involvement.
- Alan Jacobs, Sprint Education Markets, Sprint
W201: Finding the Funds to Sustain Education Technology
In times of tight budgets, where are schools turning to locate the funds to support their use of technology? This session will highlight some of the
major funding sources that are being tapped and strategies that forward-thinking districts are pursuing. In addition, experts will provide an update
on the E-rate program and federal and state funding sources under the No Child Left Behind Act and other federal initiatives.
- Sara Fitzgerald, Vice President, Communications, Funds for Learning, LLC (Moderator)
- Dennis Bruno, EdD, Superintendent, Glendale School District, PA
- Leigh Manasevit, Esq., Partner, Brustein & Manasevit
T303: The CoSN-Gartner TCO Web Tool: Measuring and Leveraging Education Technology Investments
This session will give an overview of the CoSN-Gartner K-12 TCO Tool, with emphasis on its use in planning and budgeting to justify and drive
efficiencies from technology investments. The presenter will provide preparation guidance and pitfalls to avoid.
- Rich Kaestner, K-12 TCO Consultant (Moderator)
- Jo Campbell, PhD, Assistant Superintendent, Council Bluffs Community Schools, IA
- Eric Hamilton, PhD, Deputy Director for Educational Technology, Institute for Information Technology Applications, US Air Force
- Bill Rust, IV, Research Director, Gartner, Inc.
- Rosanne Winter, Director, Instructional Technology, Insturctional Services, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
W303: eLearning Lessons and Insights
This presentation will analyze and discuss various aspects of effective approaches to providing online offerings to students. Presenters will discuss
the importance of building a sustainable funding model, the lessons learned from Florida Virtual School's eight years of operation and, an ROI
approach to hosting, course offerings, development, planning and funding. Analysis of how these lessons apply to a national plan will be addressed.
- Tim Stroud, Executive Director, North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) (Moderator)
- Elizabeth Glowa, PhD, Coordinator, Maryland Virtual Learning Opportunities, Division of Instruction, Maryland State Department of Education
- Ryan Imbriale, Facilitator, Maryland Students Online Consortium, Office of Instructional Technology, Baltimore County Public Schools, MD
- Mark Maxwell, Chief Financial Officer, Florida Virtual School
- Julie Young, Executive Director, Florida Virtual School
Total Cost of Ownership Initiative Receives Additional Support from the U.S. Department of Education
Washington, DC, January 28, 2004 – The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) announced today renewed support from the U.S. Department of
Education the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) initiative. With the additional support from the Department, CoSN will be developing four new TCO case
studies of K-12 school districts and the creating a TCO professional development program to further assist school leaders in making educated
technology investments. The second-year grant of $275,000 will also be used to leverage CoSN’s existing resources and tools that schools and
districts use for assessing and estimating the total cost of their computer networks.
“Total Cost of Ownership is an online tool for school leaders and professionals to select the best technology solutions to meet educational goals
for students, teachers and parents in the long run,” said John Bailey, Director of Technology, U.S. Department of Education. “No Child Left Behind's
goals of proficiency in reading, math and science can only be accomplished by quality information and clear data. The information technology
solutions helping our leaders make wise decisions must be sound and the TCO tool is a valuable resource to meet these educational needs.”
Keith Krueger, Chief Executive Officer for CoSN echoed these sentiments. “In times of tighter budgets and tougher academic standards, our goal is
to help schools and school districts utilize tools developed for the business world to help run school systems more efficiently and improve student
learning.”
Launched in 2003, more than 750 of the 16,000 the country’s school districts are using CoSN’s Total Cost of Ownership web tool to manage computer
networks in a more cost-effective way. The tool produces a comprehensive analysis that helps school leaders understand the direct and indirect
costs associated with their investments in hardware and software, as well as the costs associated with supporting those investments.
With the additional support from the U.S. Department of Education, CoSN will be able to continue to provide educators with “real time” support and
guidance in conducting their TCO analyses and evaluating their results. “We believe that providing high-level customer service and support to our
school leaders will increase the value of conducting a TCO analysis,” explained Krueger.
CoSN will use the latest round of funding from the federal government to work with school districts from Missouri, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin to
create four new case studies. Each of the 2004 TCO Case Study school districts is utilizing important new technologies for schools, including: online
learning strategies, wireless technology and voice/data integration. The additional case studies will provide the opportunity to build on the lessons
learned by the four school districts that served as case studies for the initial development of the tool. CoSN will also use the funding to develop
an expanded program of professional development offerings to help school leaders learn more about how to use the tool effectively and evaluate their
results.
CoSN launched its Taking TCO to the Classroom (www.classroomtco.org) initiative in 1999 to provide school
leaders understand all of the costs associated with managing g technology, including planning and budgeting. CoSN has developed a variety of tools
and resources on TCO which help school leaders track six key cost areas: technical support, staff development, hardware, software, building retrofits
and replacement costs.
Business partners have provided additional support for dissemination of information about the tool. They include Apple, Microsoft, Sprint,
Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Texas Instruments, 3Com, AOL@School, AT&T, Blackboard, Dell Computer, eChalk, Inspiration Software, Palm, PLATO
Learning and the Center for Digital Education.
Join CoSN at T+L2 for a Special Presentation on the CoSN-Gartner TCO Web Tool
CoSN will be holding a concurrent session at NSBA T+L2 on Wednesday, October 22 from 1:30 to 2:30 PM., room location TBA. We invite you to
join us and hear firsthand what others are saying about the CoSN-Gartner Total Cost of Ownership Web Tool.
Educators to Brief Policy Makers on New Budgeting Tool for School Systems
The Consortium for School Networking in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education and the North Central Regional Technology in Education
Consortium (NCRTEC) will host a policy briefing detailing the newest, most comprehensive budgeting tools for K-12 schools and school districts.
Designed with input from educators and expertise from Gartner, the leading business authority on Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), the CoSN-Gartner
TCO tool is vendor-neutral and free to schools and districts.
When: Tuesday, October 7, 2003 from 10:00 AM. – 12:00 PM.
Where: 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building
What: A policy briefing about the TCO web tool, a free resource for school districts from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). A panel
of education leaders from the Mid-Atlantic region will introduce the tool.
Who: John Bailey, director, Office of Education Technology, U.S. Dept. of Education, Keith Krueger, Chief Executive Officer, CoSN and
Bill Rust, Research Director, Gartner, Inc.
Ensuring that technology dollars are well spent is especially critical given the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. As states and
school districts review their overall education and technology plans, the TCO tool can provide a higher level of analysis to guide network improvements,
future technology investments, ongoing professional development and IT support.
CoSN and TCO Continue to Garner Exposure
On October 2, 2003, the Total Cost of Ownership Initiative received a boost of support from the California Technology Assistance Project (CTAP) with a
statewide video conference and hand-on workshop sessions. During the half-day event, California education leaders heard from John Bailey, Director of
the Office of Educational Technology, Wayne Shimizu from the California Department of Education as well as CoSN TCO Team members Sara Fitzgerald and
Bill Rust with Gartner, Inc. After an overview discussion of the TCO Tool, a panel of CA school officials presented their experiences with the tool
and budgeting for education technology. A hands-on workshop followed the videoconference at each of the 11 CTAP centers.
New Online Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Course Offered – Register Today!
CoSN and NSBA are teaming up to offer an online TCO course this Fall – “Total Cost of Ownership for School Leaders.” Earn a continuing education credit
certificate while exploring how to apply the business-world concept of TCO to the K-12 environment. Participants will learn about the tools that are
available for them to use, and how to apply these concepts to reviewing their own technology budgets. This online workshop is being offered by NSBA’s
ITTE Education Technology Programs Online Courses, and the 6-week course begins October 13th. To register or to learn more about the Online TCO Course,
visit www.nsba.org/olc/olc.cfm?assn=2.
CoSN TCO Assessment Tool Now Available
The CoSN-Gartner Web-based Total Cost of Ownership tool is now available for school leaders to input data to help assess the TCO of their networking environments.
The tool is the latest offering from CoSN's Taking TCO to the Classroom initiative. The tool, a vendor-neutral, free resource, was developed for CoSN by Gartner, a leading research and advisory firm that helps businesses understand technology. The tool was also sponsored by the North Central Regional Technology in Education Consortium (NCRTEC) at the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL). Funding for the project was provided by the U.S. Department of Education, and grants from additional corporate sponsors will help support dissemination and education about the tool.
The tool can be accessed through the project's Web site at www.classroomtco.org. Visitors who click through to the tool's Web site can review an article entitled "Learn Why Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Matters" and read case studies that Gartner prepared after working with four school districts of varying sizes across the country. School leaders can gain access to the tool by applying for a username and password. Registration requires an identifier number from the National Center for Education Statistics. A link to an NCES number lookup site is provided as reference.
Once registered, users are encouraged to review two documents, one entitled "Preparing for TCO Analysis, and the other, explaining the Web-based tool, before starting to input their data. These documents detail the information that needs to be collected to use the tool correctly, and defines each data point that the tool uses. These documents have been available since the tool was first announced at the CoSN conference in February so that school leaders could begin gathering their information.
The tool performs a number of calculations on the data that is entered. Also, the high and low data points from the case study school districts are provided to offer a point of comparison and "reality check" for school leaders on their own data. However, the case studies were chosen, not because they were necessarily representative of "best practices," but rather as representative of school districts as a whole. Thus the tool is most useful as a benchmark for districts to assess the current costs of managing their own technology and how that may change in the future. School leaders can create multiple analyses, if they wish.
E-mail support is available for those with questions about using the tool. CoSN plans future workshops and staff development activities to help school leaders understand TCO and how best to use the tool.
Corporate sponsors of the TCO initiative include: Apple, Microsoft and Sprint (Platinum level); Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel and Texas Instruments (Silver level); and 3Com, AOL@School, AT&T, Blackboard, Dell, eChalk, Inspiration Software, Palm, Plato Learning and the Center for Digital Education.
Read the full Press Release.
UNESCO Hosts Meeting on Recycling Old Computers
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) is hosting a two-day meeting March 14 and 15 to consider ways
to recycle "millions of obsolete computers collecting dust in the stock
rooms of global corporations."
Representatives of corporations, "Digital Divide" non-profits and
potential beneficiaries will meet at UESCO's Paris headquarters to
discuss the issue.
According to UNESCO, more than one million personal computers will be
decommissioned by 20 global corporations in Europe and the United States
over the next three years. The top 1000 global companies, it said, have
an estimated stock of 7 million computers and the top 1,000 may have
more than 30 million.
Through its "Taking TCO to the Classroom" project, the Consortium for
School Networking has cautioned U.S. government agencies about promoting
computer donations into schools too aggressively. U.S. school leaders
have frequently found that the cost of parts and labor to upgrade
donated computers to meet the needs of their networks often outstrips
the value of the computers, creating a waste disposal problem for the
schools. CoSN has recommended that schools adopt a formal donations
policy, detailing the minimum requirements of the computers they are
willing to accept.
CoSN has also lobbied to try to prevent Congress from liberalizing its
tax policies related to donated computers.
For more information about the UNESCO event, see
portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php@URL_ID=10325&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html.
New Tool to Help School Districts Make Better Technology Investments
At a national conference of education leaders, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), Gartner and other education and
industry leaders unveiled a new Web-based tool designed to help K-12 schools assess their technology investments for K-12
schools. The CoSN/Gartner Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) tool presents an opportunity and mechanism for school district leaders
to gather information and make well-informed decisions on how to effectively utilize technology services to meet educational goals.
Watch for the tool to go live on May 15.
NCES Publishes New Guidebook on Technology Data
The National Center for Education Statistics and its National Forum on
Education Statistics has just published "Technology in Schools:
Suggestions, Tools and Guidelines for Assessing Technology in Elementary
and Secondary Education." The study, which builds on the work of the
Consortium for School Networking's "Taking TCO to the Classroom"
project, is designed to create a resource for educators and policy
makers who must assess the need for, and the effects of , technology in
schools. Among other things, the guide makes some suggestions for
appropriate data that could be collected by policy makers and school
leaders to measure different components of a technology implementation.
The lengthy guide is available at
nces.ed.gov/pubs2003/2003313.pdf.
CoSN Introduces a Line of Videos Aimed at Educators
Over the past year CoSN and SERC (Satellite Educational Resources Consortium) have organized a number of high quality,
national Town Hall telecasts on key education technology topics such as Internet Safety
(Safeguarding the Wired Schoolhouse), Total Cost of Ownership,
Copyright & Distance Education as well as Public Awareness
and Marketing Campaigns and Educational Resources for Students and Parents. Hurry, as these items are already proving to be
very popular, and order these invaluable resources today.
CoSN Comments on Proposed EPA Rule on Computer Disposal
The Consortium for School Networking has filed comments with the Environmental Protection Agency on a proposed rule addressing
the disposal of used cathode ray tubes, which are considered a federally regulated hazardous waste.
The EPA rules are designed to encourage the recycling and reuse of computer terminals. In a preamble to the proposed rules,
EPA had noted that "Reuse also allows schools, non-profit organizations and individual families to use equipment that they
otherwise could not afford."
In its comments, CoSN urged EPA to be wary of letting businesses transfer their own computer disposal problems onto the
shoulders of school districts. CoSN asked EPA to encourage potential donors to determine whether their computers could meet
the real needs of school districts and other recipients. CoSN cited the work it has done as part of its "Taking TCO to the
Classroom" project to try to help EPA understand the problems that donated computers can create for school districts if they
do not meet the district's networking needs.
School districts may find themselves subject to the EPA regulations when it comes time for them to dispose of their own
computers. The rules are based on the volume of hazardous waste that a non-residential waste generator disposes of in a
calendar month. An entity disposing of at least 220 pounds of hazardous waste (approximately seven or eight 30-pound computer
monitors) in a landfill in a month would be subject to at least some level of federal regulation. Entities disposing of more
than 2,200 pounds of waste (roughly 70 or 80 terminals) in a month would be considered "large quantity generators" and
subject to all of EPA's hazardous waste rules.
CoSN encouraged EPA to take steps to help school districts understand their responsibilities under these laws, particularly
as their networks age, and volunteered to work with EPA in those efforts.
CoSN's comments can be reviewed at
www.cosn.org/resources/071702b.htm.
The proposed rules are available at
www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WASTE/2002/June/Day-12/.
Comments are due by Aug. 12, 2002.
EPA Proposes Rules on Disposing of Computers
The Environmental Protection Agency June 12 proposed new rules designed to clarify that used computers
that are resold or recycled will not be treated as hazardous wastes under the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act.
The rules specifically deal with the disposal of cathode-ray tubes that are used in computer monitors.
The tubes contain significant amounts of lead, and can contain mercury, cadmium and arsenic, and thus are
subject to federal rules regarding disposal of hazardous wastes.
The rules could impact schools in two ways, as both recipients of used computers and institutions that may
have to dispose of their own used computers.
The proposed rules are intended to encourage entities to donate or recycle used computers, rather than
dispose of them as hazardous waste. "Many used computers are resold or donated so that they can be used
again, either as is or after minor repairs," the rules note. "Although [EPA] has no legal jurisdiction over
reused computers, we encourage this option as a responsible way to manage these materials, because preventing
or delaying the generation of waste often conserves resources. . . . Reuse also allows schools, non-profit
organizations and individual families to use equipment that they otherwise could not afford."
In the rules, the EPA clarifies that computer terminals sent to a reseller for potential reuse or terminals
undergoing repairs before resale or distribution are considered to be products "in use," rather than solid
wastes. Thus, intact products that are donated or recycled are not subject to the hazardous waste laws, which
could encourage businesses and other entities to favor this approach to disposing of their older computers.
As a policy matter, the Consortium for School Networking has encouraged schools that accept donated computers
to put in place a policy that details exactly what kinds of computers they can use so that businesses simply
don't transfer their disposal problems onto the shoulders of school districts. In the past, donated computers
have created problems for some districts seeking to standardize their computer networks.
The rules would clarify that "recycling" or "reusing" terminals does not mean disposing of them. EPA sets rules
for hazardous waste disposal, including packaging, labeling, record-keeping and reporting requirements. Households
are not subject to the rules and entities that generate fewer than 100 kilograms of hazardous waste a year (roughly
seven or eight computer terminals) are not subject to most of them. But entities that generate between 100 and 1,000
kilograms of hazardous waste a year are subject to a limited set of rules, and entities that generate more than 1,000
kilograms of hazardous waste a year, or about 70 to 80 terminals, by EPA's calculation, are subject to the rules.
To the extent to which schools themselves need to remove their aging computers, they could be subject to the hazardous
waste disposal rules, unless the terminals are recycled or reused.
The proposed rules are available at
www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WASTE/2002/June/Day-12/.
Comments are due by Aug. 12, 2002.
Schools Are Relying on Students for Tech Support
More than half of U.S. public school districts report that they are using students to help provide tech
support in their districts, according to a new survey conducted for the National School Boards Foundation.
Among large districts, those with more than 25,000 students, 61 percent said they relied on students for
help. Forty-eight percent of the districts said they provided students with formal technology training,
and 43 percent said they relied on students to help troubleshoot problems.
More than 800 technology decision makers of public school districts responded to the survey, which was
conduced between December 12, 2001 and February 12, 2002. More information on the findings related to tech
support are available at
www.nsbf.org/thereyet/charge.htm
ISTE unveils a Technology Support Index
The International Society of Technology in Education has released a new framework,
called the Technology Support Index, that is designed to help school districts assess
how well they are managing their networks in four areas: equipment standards, staffing
and processes, professional development and intelligent systems. See
tsi.iste.org.
Educators' Approach to Technology Funding Matures
By Rebecca S. Weiner
http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/29/technology/29EDUCATION.html
In what experts hail as a sign that schools are approaching technology funding in a more mature fashion, educators are carving
out space in their budgets for hardware, software and training instead of relying on donations and grants.
As technology funding becomes more mainstream, the total amount being spent is also increasing. Market Data Retrieval, a
Connecticut-based educational research company, recently found that public schools spent an estimated $5.67 billion, or
$121.37 per student, on technology in the 1999-2000 school year. That figure is up 2.5 percent over the prior school year.
"They've shifted their views on how they acquire and maintain equipment," said Kathleen Brantley, director of product
development for Market Data Retrieval. "They've gotten smarter about budgeting for the long term."
Keith Krueger, the executive director of the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), said that as the costs of maintaining
computers and networks grow, schools paying closer attention to their long-term technology budgeting. The Consortium has worked
with schools to budget for what is known in the business world as 'total cost of ownership' - accounting for the initial
purchase price, maintenance and replacement.
The idea is not a new one for educators. School officials have traditionally considered long-term costs when budgeting for new
construction or purchasing new vehicles by factoring in maintenance and replacement costs, Krueger said.
"All those pieces aren't anything new," he said. "But for many reasons we've thought of technology as an add-on; it's been
funded by grants and donations."
snipped for copyright
Computers in Schools, Sure. But What About Technical Support?
New York Times, Cybertimes
April 26, 2000
By Rebecca S. Weiner
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/00/04/cyber/education/26education.html
Paul Reese, a 30-year veteran of New York City public schools, is supposed to be helping teachers in East Harlem's Community
School District 4 to integrate technology into their daily lessons. Instead, he spends much of his time fixing software glitches
and troubleshooting computer breakdowns.
"The reality is I do too much computer servicing," said Reese, a former fourth grade teacher who is now a staff developer for
Project Smart, a city education technology initiative. "I went into a first grade class and the teacher and the paraprofessional
said the computers weren't working. I probably spent two and a half hours fixing that. I was a technician for the afternoon."
While companies entering the information age consider computer support a standard cost of doing business, schools, whose budgets
are less flexible, seem to be taking longer to reach that point. In the meantime, schools have been forced to make do, sometimes
sharing one or two tech administrators for an entire district, and leaving a handful of tech-savvy teachers to handle computer
crashes and finicky networks.
The Michigan Technology Training Resource
Statewide project funded by a Technology Literacy Challenge Fund Grant. It has developed a draft formula
for calculating an appropriate level of tech support for a school district.
CoSN / NSBA Survey on Tech Support
Results from a survey, sponsored by CoSN and the National School Boards Association, on how school
districts are managing their tech support activities. More than 120 schools and school districts provided their answers online during
the first week of October, 1999.
Find out how one school district used TCO when making a decision on whether to lease or purchase computers. Check out the
"Support" and "Replacement Costs"
sections under "TCO Checklist."
"Taking TCO to the Classroom: A School Administrator's Guide to Planning for the Total Cost of New Technology"
This project white paper provides a detailed overview of what is generally known about Total Cost of Ownership in the educational
environment. CoSN is happy to make this publication available to you. If you wish to republish it, please
notify us.
We appreciate any feedback you may have.
 Read the report online
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