Laptop funding draws from different funds

Published 1:01 pm Monday, March 3, 2008

The Shoreline School District’s fiscal crisis brought deep cuts to classrooms and schools this year and last.

Faced with those cuts, some have questioned spending on a proposed one-to-one laptop program for all fifth- and sixth-graders this fall.

Voters approved a laptop program in February 2006 as part of a $149 million bond, before the district’s fiscal crisis went public. The bond funds initial program costs, including computers, software, one year of teacher training and other start-up needs. The money comes from the capital projects fund, which is healthy.

Ongoing maintenance, though, comes from the ailing general fund.

“We keep throwing money at it, whether it’s capital fund or general fund money,” said Pat Valle, co-president of the Shoreline Education Association, or SEA. “After next year, we can’t use (capital fund) money for this — it’s no longer a new initiative That’s the million dollar question.”

The laptops, with software and warranty, cost almost $1,400 apiece. It would cost about $1.8 million in capital fund dollars to give laptops to all fifth- and sixth-graders.

The program will cost the general fund in 2007-08, too. But even if laptops go to fifth- and sixth-graders, it won’t cost the general fund more this year than it did last year, said Jim Golubich, director of instructional technology for the district.

Staffing

Staffing to support the laptop program comes from the general fund. In 2006-07, staff costs for the program were about $568,000.

Out of that total, $400,000 went to technical support staff who were already with the district in fall 2006, Golubich said.

The district hired new staff that fall to support the project, but they’re paid for mostly with bond money.

What wasn’t covered with bond money was covered with $168,000 from the general fund, part of the $568,000 staffing total. The new staff included two full-time-equivalent, or FTE, technical support jobs and 12 FTE trainers.

The two technical support staff jobs are two-year jobs and are over at the end of 2007-08, Golubich said.

This fall, the 12 trainer jobs would work with fifth- and sixth-grade teachers and be funded mostly with bond money, like last year.

But after the 2007-08 school year, it would cost general fund money to keep them.

Also, the district spent $80,000 to $100,000 in general fund money on staffing for technology infrastructure in 2006-07, including Internet filtering. It’s hard to separate laptop costs specifically, Golubich said.

This year, the district spent no money on lost, damaged or broken computers, said Golubich. Warranties and insurance cover those costs. Parents pay for insurance and warranties came from the capital fund.

Sustainability

Some have wondered how the district will sustain the program long-term, especially in training and technical support.

“There’s no long-term, sustainable plan in place,” Valle said. “It’s like going grocery shopping without a list — you spend way more than you planned.”

Golubich said the intent was to go back to pre-fall 2006 staffing levels in technical support after the initial roll- out years. As for the trainers, that remains to be seen.

“I think there’s a widespread agreement there would be a reduction,” Golubich said, referring to the 12 FTE training positions. “It depends on the state of the general fund budget next year.”

The laptops themselves are expected to last until 2010. That year, the district likely will go back to the voters to ask for more money for technology programs, Golubich said.