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Tacoma a step closer to tech standards

By Clare Jensen

Tacoma School District approved $7.4 million for phase two of the technology equalization initiative, which began in 2007.

The three-phased proposal is working toward equalizing schools in the district and bringing technology up to standards, but even after the more than $10 million that will be spent by fall 2009, Tacoma still has a long way to go.

The board unanimously approved the $7.4 million request to replace about 2,500 of the district’s elementary and middle school computers. Only board members Jim Dugan, Kim Golding and Kurt Miller were present at the March 26 board meeting.

The money will also replace all elementary and middle schoolteachers’ machines and cover training costs and software licensing for all hardware.  

Every elementary and middle school will receive at least one mobile laptop lab cart (28 laptops total) while most schools will receive two carts, or 56 laptops.

The results of this effort will bring elementary machines meeting standards to 57 percent and middle schools to 61 percent.

The first phase put electronic document cameras and projectors into every classroom in the district, which cost a little more than $2 million.

Phase three, which is estimated to cost about $3 million and should be implemented in the summer of 2009, will address high school technology and replace other elementary and middle school machines which can’t be addressed today according to Shaun Taylor, executive director of technology services for the district.

After that, Taylor said, there is still a “sizeable amount” of technology equity issues that will need to be addressed.

“As far as bringing [technology in the district] up to standard, we’re probably less than half-way,” he said.

Chief financial officer for the district Ron Hack said they are looking at “how long we can sustain these equity updates.

“We currently have enough. For the long term we will be coming back before you (school board) to address this or we will run out of money in the next few years.”

Hack said a proposal for a technology levy would be put before the voters as soon as 2009.

Taylor said there are still enough funds to cover the third phase of the project. Funding issues will come into play for future phases.

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