RCPS

The Technology Plan Update for Rockingham County Public Schools

Fiscal Analysis - Needs

Hardware

Currently, RCPS annually spends approximately $1,000,000 on hardware, including computers, printers, networking infrastructure, and peripherals. Future budgets must consider three factors:

Replacement costs for current computers If the useful life of an instructional computer is five years, and there are currently 4,500 computers in the Division, then, on the average, 900 computers will need to be purchased each year just to maintain status quo. In the future, many of these computers will be wireless laptops. At an average price of $1,000 per computer, this means $900,000 is needed annually, an additional $200,000 more than the amount currently being allocated in this budget line.
Additional computers In order to reduce the student-computer ratio to 1-1 for grades 3-12 and 3-1 for grades K-2 (recommended by the Educational Technology Plan for Virginia), an additional 5,000 computers would need to be purchased. If 1,000 additional computers are purchased each year, this means an additional $1,000,000 would have to be added to the RCPS hardware budget.
Infrastructure and peripheral costs As cited in this plan, in order to sufficiently integrate technology into classroom instruction, there is a need to purchase many more switches, SmartBoards, network printers, projection systems, multimedia carts, digital cameras, etc. An additional $200,000 annually will be needed for these items.
Additional technologies As cited in this plan, technology involves more than computers and networking. From digital cameras to document cameras to sound systems, instructional technology involves many differnet types of equipment. An additional $200,000 annually will be needed for these items.

Thus, future needs for computer hardware are $1,600,000 more than the current $1,000,000 annually spent on computer hardware.

Software

Currently, RCPS annually spends approximately $80,000 each year on software, including subscriptions to online services and maintenance agreements for current software. These costs will continue, especially as software costs are rapidly being turned into online subscription costs. In addition, this Technology Plan calls for additional software and online services to be purchased. Thus, an annual software budget of $200,000 is more realistic.

Telecommunications

Currently, RCPS spends approximately $120,000 annually for telecommunications services, including WAN circuit costs and telephone costs. But this budget does not accurately reflect true telecommunications expenses because, thanks to the e-rate program, RCPS currently pays only 36% of its telecommunication costs. The actual annual telecommunications expense to RCPS is approximately $250,000. It is imperative that RCPS continue to participate in the e-rate program. Furthermore, this plan calls for upgrading WAN connections at each school, first to 10 MBPS fiber at middle schools and 100 MBPS fiber at high schools. In the future, a minimum of a 10 MBPS connection at each site should be considered. Future telecommunications budgets must increase correspondingly.

Staff Development

Currently, RCPS spends approximately $50,000 in staff development, not including salaries of staff members which provide local inservice. The current budget is spent on Educational Technology coursework with James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University. This Technology Plan stresses the importance of and need for continued staff development. The most successful staff development related to technology has taken place due to the addition of the Instructional Technology Resource Teachers. We currently employ seven ITRTs in addition to two Technology Instructional Specialists. In order for every teacher to benefit from on-demand staff development, an additional sixteen ITRTs are needed including those needed for the three schools to be added by 2010. The approximate cost of this is $960,000.

Support Staff

Currently, RCPS employs nine technicians, one Network Resource Specialist and one Coordinator of Networks. In order to adequately provide on-demand support, RCPS needs a technician in every building, including the three new schools to be added by 2010. The approximate costs of this is $700,000.

Fiscal Analysis - Funding Resources

State Funds

Currently, RCPS receives $696,000 annually from the web-based SOL Technology Initiative. These state funds have been instrumental in bringing hardware into the school division, though they cannot be used for adding support staff. As outlined above, additional funding will be necessary from the General Assembly if Rockingham County Public Schools is to achieve the goals of this plan.

Federal Funds

Currently, RCPS receives approximately $180,000 annually in federal e-rate funds which are used to offset telecommunications expenses. RCPS also receives Carl Perkins funds which are used to update technology in career and technical classrooms. RCPS also receives approximately $30,000 annually from federal No Child Left Behind Ed Tech (formula) grant, 100% of which is spent on staff development. Finally, RCPS participates in the Shenandoah Valley Technology Consortium No Child Left Behind Ed Tech competitive grant. This grant has provided over $50,000 annually to Rockingham County Public Schools for staff development and classroom equipment.

Local funds:

RCPS is required to provide a 20% match to the $696,000 web-based SOL Technology Initiative. In reality, much more is provided by local funds because all technology personnel must be funded locally. In addition to this $140,000 requirement, local funds are spent on all aspects of technology. Funds from Special Education, local schools, PTAs, and other instructional areas are spent annually on hardware, software, training, and support. Obviously, in order to achieve the budget needs listed above, hundreds of thousands of additional local dollars will be needed.

Rockingham County Public Schools

In the Heart of the Beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia