Schools have significant budgets. However, extending those finances far enough to include instructional technology is not as simple as it seems. Schools budget around 80-90% of their budget for salaries alone — teachers and other school staff must clearly be compensated for their efforts.
Administrators must purchase everything else with the remaining 10-20%. Books, buildings, and buses are only a few of the expenses; schools must also find a method to deliver technology. Many times, the difference between what schools would want to have and what is affordable technology seems to be as large as the divide between kindergarten and 12th grade.
Costs might vary depending on geographic location and the number of people needed to maintain the technology. Other technological components that schools must consider include: infrastructure, hardware, and software are all extra expenses. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Things to consider when looking at education technology costs
1. Infrastructure
Education software development and technology maintenance may be an expensive investment. For internet access, schools require strong wireless networks. They also need hardware and software for administrative and instructional functions. Access and integration are more likely to succeed when there is enough bandwidth.
The problem for schools is that bandwidth is dynamic rather than static. Anything less than high-speed connectivity may be tedious, especially when every classroom in a building has to connect to the network at the same time.
Currently, for districts with less than 1,000 students, the required bandwidth is at least 4.3 Mbps per user. In districts with more than 10,000 students, at least 2 Gbps per 1,000 users is recommended.
2. Hardware
Technology has changed how schools work. Even test-taking has evolved significantly; students now take many of their standardized examinations on computers. Many students enjoy taking online tests. For schools, this means having secure devices available for each round of testing. Tablets or PCs are also required for students to access online curricula, digital science laboratories, and other educational activities.
Naturally, the majority of school IT budgets are spent on hardware. Although corporate donations or grants might help reduce hardware costs, it is generally the taxpayer that pays for educational hardware technology. Local taxes fund technological equipment.
3. Software
Software purchases account for just 10% of a school or district’s IT budget. Nonetheless, the IT department must have regulations in place to prevent instructors and students from downloading programs that may breach privacy, infringe on intellectual property, or contain ransomware.
By introducing a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy, districts can save technological spending. Students just bring their own devices into the classroom and utilize school-approved apps under this policy. The only thing the school has to do is supply the infrastructure and wifi connection. Personal mobile devices, like as smartphones or tablets, can be used by teachers and students.
It is advised that schools and districts cooperate with community stakeholders when developing BYOD standards. They can collaborate to create a suitable usage policy and decide which tools and content will promote instructional use.
A BYOD program can save a school district money, but it also places a greater burden on the community: Unreasonable technological demands and expensive personal equipment might seem like a double taxation. As a result, districts must carefully assess the consequences of their policies.