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The "TCO-Savvy" District |
The "Doing the Best We Can" District |
The "Worry About It Tomorrow" District |
Professional Development |
Devotes 15-30% of its budget to staff development |
Provides some staff training, but not at times that are convenient or when staff is ready to put the lessons to work |
Assumes that teachers and staff "will learn on the job" |
Support |
Provides computer support at a ratio of at least one support person for every 50 to 70 computers or one person for every 500 computers in a closely managed networked environment |
Relies on a patchwork of teachers, students and overworked district staff to maintain network and fix problems. Does not track the amount of time its network is down or computers are not in use |
Relies on the "hey Joe" sort of informal support |
Software |
Recognizes that the greater diversity of software packages and operating systems, the more the support that will be required. Makes provisions for regular upgrading of software packages |
Utilizes centralized software purchasing, but choice of application and respective support left to individual schools and/or staff members |
Expects support personnel to manage whatever software happens to be installed on a district computer |
Replacement Costs |
Budgets to replace computers on a regular schedule, usually every five years, whether leased or purchased |
Plans to replace computers when they no longer can be repaired |
Assumes that when computers are purchased with 20-year bonds that they will last forever |
Retrofitting |
Recognizes that many school buildings will require modifications of electrical, heating and cooling systems, as well as asbestos removal, to accommodate new technology, and budgets accordingly. When possible, makes these improvements when schools are being built or renovated. |
Understands minimum and recommended requirements for electrical and other infrastructure improvements and incorporates them when funding is available |
Pulls the wires and then blows the fuses |
Connectivity |
Plans its network to provide connections that provide enough bandwidth to manage current--and future--needs, especially multimedia applications |
Has the bandwidth it needs today, but has no plan for scaling it upward as demand grows |
A phone and a modem, what more do you need? |
