School district transitions from Microsoft Office to Google Workspace before support ends

The Winona Area Public School District is making significant strides in technology upgrades, as announced during the recent WAPS School Board meeting. With Microsoft set to end support for Windows 10 and Office 2019 in October, the district is proactively transitioning to Windows 11 and enhancing its use of Google Workspace.

Currently, about 75% of workstations at the high school and middle school have been upgraded to Windows 11, with plans to extend this to elementary schools and the Alternative Learning Center (ALC) next week. The goal is to complete these upgrades before the school year ends, allowing staff to familiarize themselves with the new system over the summer.

In tandem with the Windows upgrade, the district is shifting towards a more comprehensive adoption of Google Workspace. A recent survey revealed that less than 20% of staff use Microsoft Office regularly, indicating a significant decline in its usage. Many staff members have already transitioned to Google Workspace, which offers similar functionalities for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations.

The district aims to support remaining staff who are accustomed to Microsoft Office, particularly in departments that rely on advanced features, such as the business office. The transition is expected to yield substantial cost savings, with estimates suggesting a reduction of $10,000 to $30,000 over three years by consolidating productivity applications under Google.

Concerns regarding data security and the online nature of Google Workspace were addressed during the meeting. The IT team reassured board members that Google allows offline document access and employs robust encryption and multi-factor authentication to protect sensitive information.

As the district moves forward with these changes, it remains committed to ensuring that staff and students are well-prepared for the evolving technological landscape, while also considering the implications for students transitioning to post-secondary environments that may utilize different systems.