Management

Streamline the Ed Tech Procurement Process in K–12

Make the most of your technology lifecycle planning with these three tips to drive cost optimizations and ROI.

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Rebecca Torchia is a web editor for EdTech: Focus on K–12. Previously, she has produced podcasts and written for several publications in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and her hometown of Pittsburgh.

The key to a smooth procurement process is planning. Most devices can be deployed and refreshed on a relatively predictable cycle, but what does that look like in the uncertain funding landscape K–12 leaders are traversing?

Today’s IT professionals must make smarter, more purposeful choices as they navigate the device lifecycle. Upgrades and refreshes may seem challenging, but they aren’t unattainable.

“Be realistic about your expectations for yourself. What can you realistically accomplish within the next nine months, 12 months and 18 months?” says Jason Schmidt, director of technology for Oshkosh Area School District. “The accumulation of small steps is going to be much better than trying to do everything all at once.”

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So, careful planning remains vital to a successful and sustainable technology lifecycle, but IT leaders may need to focus more closely on some of the details and make adjustments that fit their goals, student bodies and budgets.

Here are three tips to maximize the device lifecycle.

1. Prioritize How Ed Tech Upgrades Fit Into Your Long-Term Plans

A K–12 IT leader should know the district’s technologies and the relative time frame in which they will need replaced. This long-term plan serves as a roadmap for making other technology purchases or adjustments.

Schmidt says that when it comes to certain parts of his district’s infrastructure that function well and aren’t seeing daily use, he is able to deprioritize overhauls of those systems. “I’m going to put that off as long as I possibly can,” he says. “But I refresh copiers every three years because they get used so much.”

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Prioritization also helps him adjust refresh cycles as needed, either to optimize existing technologies or account for unexpected tech innovations.

“We have interactive flat-panels in our classrooms, and the displays themselves should last seven to 10 years, but sometimes the software pieces are out of date and they’re not working very well,” he explains. “So, maybe we start analyzing it after five years and decide it makes sense for us to replace these.”

2. Invest in Durable Technology Solutions To Save Money Over Time

IT leaders must consider the cost of replacements when investing in new or upgraded technologies, especially in a school environment, where devices are handled by children and teenagers.

“How can we extract the maximum value out of whatever it is that we’re purchasing without having to spend too much to keep it going?” Schmidt says.

He explains that his district is investing in Logitech headsets with modular components for this reason. The jacks on student headsets can be easily damaged, and in many cases, a broken jack means replacing the entire headset. “I might spend $25 or $30 on a headset instead of $20, but if it breaks, I’m replacing a cable for $3 instead of an entire headset for another $20,” Schmidt says.

“If you spend a little bit more upfront, it’s actually cheaper in the long term,” he says. “It increases the lifespan of those devices.”

3. Involve the End User in Planning To Maximize Technology’s Value

Getting user buy-in is essential to maximize the value of any educational technology. Users need professional development and support on the tech they’re expected to use, and they should also be involved in the planning and purchasing process.

Schmidt recalls talking to school secretaries before implementing a new email security solution. They got excited about the simplicity of the new tool, and they were surprised that the IT department asked for their input. “I always make sure I’m involving the people that it’s going to impact the most,” he says.

“I want to make sure we have the right tool for the job, and the only way I know that is by asking,” he adds. “Then, we can make the best decision for our staff and for our students.”

FIND OUT: What should schools look for when selecting technology vendors?

Building the Technology Lifecycle

Of course, not every K–12 district has an established and carefully planned technology procurement and refresh process. Districts starting from scratch or looking to rebuild their processes should take a phased approach.

“We didn’t start with, ‘Everybody’s going one-to-one, and we’re buying 9,000 devices,’” Schmidt says. “Identify your priority areas, whether it’s a grade level or a building, and develop a process so you can phase things in and grow into that replacement cycle.”

Oshkosh Area School District started with teacher devices. All teachers received Chromebooks and training on the new laptops. The district then equipped all of its high school students with Chromebooks, followed by the middle schoolers and, finally, the elementary school students.

“By the time we got done with elementary, it was time to go back to the teacher devices,” Schmidt says.

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