Addressing Information Technology Support at

Beacon Charter High School for the ArtsMichael Skeldon

November 6, 2010

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

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

IT Growth @ Beacon

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

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)

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)

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?

Budget Analysis & Recommendations

2009-2010 2010-2011$0

$4,000

$8,000

$12,000

$16,000

$20,000

$19,274

$12,800

Budgeted IT Expenses

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

IT Support

$12,800

$2,770,507

Reflected in Beacon's 2010-2011 Budget

IT supportRemainder of budget

Budget vs. Reality

IT Support Academic Dean Salary

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

$12,800

$69,763

IT-related Human Capital Expenses

Budget Analysis

$828,290

$360,840

$463,540

2010-2011 Projected Salaries

InstructionalAdministrativeOther

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)