Litchfield elementary district considers $2.3M classroom tech integration plan

By Madeline Ackley
Twitter: @Mkayackley

Litchfield Elementary School District outlined a proposed technology integration plan to increase support staffing, provide devices for all K-8 students and incorporate technology into classroom learning beginning in the 2022-23 school year.

Technology integration has been a priority for the district governing board for some time, but the Tuesday meeting was the first time the plan has come before the public in detail and has not yet been put to a vote. 

District staff point to studies showing improved learning outcomes when students have equal access to devices in the classroom.

The plan, which accounts for personnel needs, training and support, devices, tools and infrastructure needs, will cost about $2.3 million, including $1 million annually, according to Laura Combs, district director of educational technology.

“This is a huge investment that we’re making districtwide from now moving forward,” board President Danielle Clymer said in response to the presentation. “This is a lot of ongoing dollars every year that we’re gonna have to spend.” 

Clymer asked Combs and district Superintendent Jodi Gunning when the plan would again come before the board, but they did not provide a hard deadline. 

Currently, the district of about 11,500 students has 15,500 Chromebooks and Windows-based devices as well as 800 iPads. 

But according to Combs, the district is beginning to phase out Windows-based devices in favor of Chromebooks because the former cannot be accessed virtually by tech support. 

“Every single time an update comes or (technicians) need to fix something they physically have to touch every one of those (Windows) devices, and it’s labor and time-intensive,” Combs said.

The estimated cost of additional devices will be about $800,000, which will come out of the capital budget. Each Chromebook will cost about $400 with a life expectancy of no more than five years.

Another $87,100 would go toward charging stations or carts, costing an estimated $1,300 each. 

The district also outlined infrastructure and additional paid positions needed to facilitate the proposed plan. 

An estimated $75,000 would be spent annually on membership costs associated with security management for student devices and another $100,000 would be put toward a firewall upgrade. 

Combs recommended the district add three additional staff positions including a position in tech support, another computer and hardware technician and a project manager to oversee the new initiative. 

The added positions would cost an estimated $186,555 annually. Right now, the district employs 13 people who manage and maintain its current technology infrastructure.

The district overhauled much of its tech infrastructure in response to the pandemic, perhaps easing the way for further improvements.

“When we were hit by COVID we actually had the opportunity to do a lot of upgrades...so we’re in really good shape with our infrastructure,” Combs said.

Ironically, access to technology in the classroom may have been better when students were learning virtually when everyone was online and connected.  

Combs said that a majority of teachers she’s spoken with wanted to see technology integrated into the classrooms on a daily basis. 

What the improvements will look like

Under the proposed plan, every K-8 student in the district will be assigned their own personal device that can be checked out during the school day. The plan does not allow devices to be brought home, but Combs did not rule out that possibility in the future. 

If implemented, students in grades 6-8 can expect to receive devices in July or August 2022 and students in grades 4-5 will receive devices in October 2022. 

Kindergarteners will not receive devices until January 2023, which will continue in future years to allow the district’s youngest students time to adjust to a classroom setting. 

“It takes them...half a year to learn to be good kindergarteners without having to put the burden of devices in their hands (and) for teachers as well,” Combs said.

Parents will not be asked to pay for their student’s broken or damaged devices unless the damage was purposeful, Combs said. 

Teachers will have “a lot of control over student devices,” Combs said, to keep the focus on learning instead of scanning social media or messaging friends. 

She indicated teachers might have the ability to control students’ devices remotely to direct them to a certain app or webpage and send messages electronically to help redirect students who are off task.

To what extent technology will be integrated into the classroom depends on the individual teacher, and an initial learning curve is expected, Combs said.

“Truthfully, the first year” technology integration “might be very low,” Combs said in response to questions from board members. 

It will be up to teachers to decide when it makes sense to implement technology in learning.

“When you know that adding technology will enhance the outcomes of your content, that’s when you would integrate it,” Combs said. “If it’s going to be a burden or a hindrance then you would not use it.” 

“It’s a tool, just like anything that we would give them...it really is a balance,” she said.

Madeline Ackley can be reached at mackley@iniusa.org or found on Twitter @Mkayackley.