Cary District 26 Grapples Over Technology Plan

After discussion on technology updates, the Cary School District 26 Board of Education approved updating bandwidth and infrastructure in the district in a 5-1 vote Monday night.

Board member Scott Coffey said students in the district are using computers that are seven to 10 years old in some cases and it's "negatively affecting our academic performance."

The district’s administration recommended that the Board of Education approve updates for bandwidth, infrastructure and refurished lab computers.

However, after discussion from Board member Floyd Myers on using alternative companies for refurbished computers in the labs, the board separated updating computer labs with refurbished computers into a separate component.

In the administration’s technology plan, they have listed six companies for refurbished computer bids and has recommended that the board approve purchasing 230 computers from PC Refresh at $120 per computer.

“I got real reservations about the timing of this project, I got real reservations about the funding of the project, I got reservations about how well it will synchronize with the curriculum,” Myers said. “I really have some issues with refurbished computers.”

Myers raised concerns about other computer suppliers being available to the district and within the refurbished computer industry, some workshops have voided the Microsoft licensing by tampering with the “guts” of the computer.

Board member Scott Coffey said the whole genesis behind the technological updates were to directly benefit the education of the students and get the process done sooner rather than later because school is starting within a month.

“I’d rather take all the dollars we have or as many dollars as we can and have the biggest impact associated with the education of our kids rather then some backroom stuff that we never see,” Coffey said.

Board member Chris Jenner said he’s not against updating the computers but believes there is a little bit more work to be done and the district can get it done.

Increased Bandwidth Benefits

On-demand video and audio streaming from education websites

Use of new applications such as:

Google Apps, BrainPop, Fast Math, Skype, Kerpoof, Starfall

Improved performance of

United Streaming

Lexia Rading

Reading A-Z

easyCBM

Raz-kids

MAP

FOSS SCIENCE