Addressing Information Technology Support at Beacon Charter High School fo r the Arts

1. Addressing Information Technology Support at Beacon Charter High School for the Arts Michael Skeldon November 6, 2010

2. ASBO Budget Analysis • One school district reduces need for complexbudget document • General Requirements • No table of contents, cover letter, page numbers • Information in table form, with clearly defined sections • Introductory Section – Narrative/Executive Summary missing • Organizational Section – No link to mission • Financial Section – one prior year of comparative data • Information Section – three years’ prior data and forecasts absent

3. The Problem • Can Beacon Charter School afford to maintain its itinerant IT support in the current climate of high stakes testing and performance management contracts for charter schools? • Startup small school culture vs. established infrastructure • Adding administrators vs. adding front line personnel

4. IT Growth @ Beacon

5. Review of the Literature • Early thoughts (Strudler, 1995-96) included the idea that school IT personnel would work themselves out of a job once school staff were trained • Brooks-Young (2006): look at Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of any IT purchase: • Compatibility with existing infrastructure • The need to increase specs to meet current needs • Manufacturer reliability • Sufficiency of warranty • Performance record of equipment • Affordability of purchase

6. Review of the Literature, cont. • Cuban (in Strudler, 2010): Increases in IT spending do not necessarily show increases in student performance possibly due to lack of connectivity between the technology and instruction • Principals must be “digital leaders” • Young, technology-savvy teachers need support AND advice (Ferriter, 2009) • Schools where principals support tech initiatives had high gains in student achievement (Means, 2010)

7. Review of the Literature, cont. • Duvall and Wise (2004): Principal should be available to be instructional leader of the school. Schools could replace school secretary with • Operations Officer • Attendance Clerk • Student Specialist • Student Techs integral to IT support (Demski, 2010)

8. Research Question • How can Beacon Charter High School for the Arts improve the quality and consistency of IT support as it grows more reliant on technology for: • delivery of instruction; • assessment; and • sharing of data with parents and other stakeholders?

9. Budget Analysis & Recommendations

11. Consultation • Monique Collins, Beacon’s Certified Business Manager, previously held same position with International Charter School and International Institute • Beacon’s #1 Priority: IT Support • Current model at Beacon ignores “lost costs” of administrative personnel handling IT • International Model: • Share an IT person between two organizations • Person is always available in person and remotely

12. IT Support

13. Budget vs. Reality

14. Budget Analysis

15. Conclusions & Recommendations • Sharing a dedicated IT professional similar to “International Model” • Two or more schools would share expense • Assuming Beacon has greater needs, Beacon could bear 60% of costs: • $65,000 salary + $16,250 (25%) benefits = $81,250 • Beacon’s cost: $48,750 • A consolidation in arts programs would save a minimum of $70,000 (including salary and benefits)