Smart Cuts versus Cuts that Smart

1. Smart Cuts versus Cuts that Smart Michael Claycomb E-Learning Committee Fall Presentation

2. Cuts that can…Smart Looking for ways to save money, people often think in terms of cutbacks which involve: • Auxiliary programs • Support staff members • Non-tenured teachers • Raising rates & fees • Issuing a decree to reduce power spending, but without any real “action plan” or “active long-term” initiative.

3. In my opinion, it is not always smart for schools to cut auxiliary programs, support staff, or teachers, unless; • Programs are sorely dated and are no longer contributing to student success. • Staff members are consistently non-contributory (in a manner-of-speaking) • Research has been ongoing and underway to remedy or replace existing programs with new, more efficient and effective ones. • There is an action plan in place to remedy excess or extravagant funding, money leaks, irresponsible spending, methods for ensuring success of physical, and energy output limitations (within acceptable parameters) • It is not enough to say, “lets cut back on these things, and assume that everyone will do their part.

4. Smart School CutsSave Big Bucks According to Tech & Learning… • The following slides demonstrate examples of districts & schools that have made “smart cuts” in order to save money; and could potentially save precious resources (programs & personnel), and that offer viable long-term sustainability for future savings. • Bear in mind, such methods are successful only when smart investments are made, and an action plan is formulated, shared, implemented, and evaluated.

5. Smart Money – 5 methods1. NComputing Judson Independent School District in San Antonio, TX • 418 old computers were replaced with 418 new, energy efficient PC’s that were loaded with NComputing desktop-virtualization software. This software allows up to 12 people to work from one single PC, each remotely with only a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Let’s Do the Math: 418 PC’s X 12 users each = 5016 users. Traditional PC’s cost $27.60 each, for usage. NComputing PC’s cost $7.44 each for usage Traditional PC’s use 115 watts each for usage. NComputing PC’s use as little as 1 watt each for usage The total investment difference from the old 418 PC’s and new 418 NComputing PC’s, was $940 Total Annual Savings for the district - $600,000

6. Smart Money – 5 methods1. NComputing …Continued • To say the least, this is much more cost effective than traditional issuance of low-cost laptop for each student of any grade level. • This would require a shift (perhaps) in methodology of material delivery, but I think if it saves other valuable programs and staff members, why not? Certainly we have made bigger adjustments. • It would seem much smarter, to maintain 400 or 500 PC’s rather than 7,000—especially when there are only 7 tech experts (in my district) • Does every student really need personal laptops? • In our current economy, is this smart? (in any economy?)

7. Smart Money – 5 methods2. Realign Your Resources Huston Falls, NY, Central School District • Uses ClassLink Inquiry to capture every transaction at every desktop. The director of Technology knows who the user is, what device they are using, what they are using it for. • Why is this important? It helps to make informed decisions about software updates, application renewal, hardware updates or replacements, software licenses, etc. • Real-time data is constantly being gathered, assimilated and disseminated for purpose of making decisions about what is necessity, based on the data— rather than what is wanted, based on a more short-sighted (perceived) necessity. • While estimated savings are averaging 15% annually on hardware costs, there are other areas of savings on a long-term scenario that while obvious, have not yet been quantified.

8. Smart Money – 5 methods3. Channel Your Inner Jerry Lewis Lake Washington, WA • School District actively participated in a community-widephone- a-thon to raise money for new science-related technology. • The students spend three (3) nights calling, making contact with over 16,000 families in the community. • Whatever they raised went directly towards purchasing handheld science equipment. • Students raised over $28,000 and made purchases for all of the district's high schools, for science education. • Regardless of economic downturn, a second phone-a-thon was held with similar success, raising another $20,000+

9. Smart Money – 5 methods4. It is Easy Being Green Arlington Heights, IL - School District #25 • An 8th grade class wanted to come up with ways to save money by reducing energy costs & becoming more environmentally friendly. • They decided to dim the lights in the hallways between classes and use energy-saving lights. • With assistance from the local lighting company (Lutron Electric), an LC system was donated that measures sunlight coming in the room to determine the amount of electric needed. • Students have also explored solar energy, and learned how another school had obtained funding from a foundation and obtained a grant for their own solar energy. • Now, with solar panel and lighting system connected to a website so students can monitor use of energy use and production, it has become an integral part of their ongoing class agenda to modify their efforts for energy usage as needed. • Equally importantly, the entire school has managed to cut their energy usage by 50%, and is not part of Lutron’s Nationwide Greenovation Program. Whammy! Student and local community support, ownership, educational purpose & relevent connection…and sustainable savings!

10. Smart Money – 5 methods5. Automate Your Process San Ramon Valley, CA, Unified School District • The district has stopped sending has stopped sending home progress reports for all students, sending them only to students who are in danger of failings. • The district also uses School Loop as a content-management system, which allows schools to publish new websites, and update their content remotely. • As many gatekeeper privileges can be given to as many people as necessary, saving (with 12 participating schools) up to $20,000 annually. • With companies like PaySchools, eFunds for Schools, and School Loop, Infinite Campus, etc., districts can simplify almost everything, saving costs on reproduced materials, and unnecessary overhead.

11. What Does It All Mean? Regardless of the state of the economy, there will continue to be an increase of students and schools as our nation’s population grows For continued accommodation, we need to think in terms of how to act smarter, with wiser (innovative) technological investments, cutting programs and staff as a last resort. As demonstrated in the article Tech & Learning, five examples of how districts & schools can work to avoid cutting valuable resources, but also save money in the process.

12. It is important that we as leaders are constantly aware of the changes that are occurring not just in our schools, but also in our surroundings, locally, nationally, and internationally. It is irresponsible for us not to take into account, sustainability issues that can plague our school’s (at times) paradigmatic situations. As educators and leaders, we must at times be courageous and risk takers; to think outside the box and make investments that will create financial sustainability by saving on equipment and energy costs, in order to help save the costs of losing valuable human resources.

13. Thank You!