OCPS CIO outlines device lease plan, AI pilots and central data dashboard to reduce repair delays and unify reporting

At a work session on April 1, 2025, Orange County Public Schools Chief Information Officer Maurice (Maurice) Dragon presented a package of IT initiatives intended to stabilize device management, expand approved artificial intelligence (AI) tools for staff, and centralize district dashboards and reporting in a new "OCPS Data Center." The presentation proposed moving from lump-sum device purchases to a lease model that includes extended warranties, rolling out teacher-facing AI tools and a district-level data catalog and business glossary to improve data governance. The board did not vote on the proposals; members asked staff for cost comparisons and a timeline for pilots.

Dragon told the board the 1-to-1 device program scaled districtwide beginning in 2015 with a major refresh from 2020–22 using ESSER funds and that many devices are now approaching four years of age. He recommended a lease model to spread replacement costs across years, provide predictable budgeting and include an extended warranty so…