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Consultants propose higher per‑pupil technology funding; districts describe 1:1 programs and specialized equipment needs
Summary
The recalibration team proposed raising per‑pupil technology support and argued modern schools often need more than a single device per student. District officials described 1:1 rollouts, device overage for breakage, specialized CTE hardware and cybersecurity costs.
The recalibration team told the Select Committee on School Finance that modern instructional needs and cloud‑based curriculum push technology funding requirements well beyond older assumptions in the model. Consultants proposed a technology funding target of roughly $450–$500 per student per year to cover devices (with a 3‑year replacement cycle), school and district networking, software licensing and security.
What consultants presented: consultant analysis assumed a prototypical elementary school needs about 410 devices and a prototypical secondary school about 450 devices (including student devices, teacher devices, library and cart devices). Using a three‑year refresh cycle and including district networking, management and non‑instructional software, the consultants estimated roughly $215 annually per pupil for device replacements and about $450–$500 per pupil when district infrastructure and licensing were included.
District testimony and operational reality: Wyoming superintendents and business officials described 1:1 deployments in many districts. Lincoln County Superintendent Theresa Chalk and others said districts typically allow grades 7–12 to take devices home and keep K–6 devices on site. School leaders reported the need for additional devices beyond strict 1:1 counts to cover breakage, classroom carts and specialized labs (graphic arts, AutoCAD, CTE labs), where Chromebooks are not sufficient and higher‑power desktops are required.
Security, licensing and support costs: multiple district officials emphasized cybersecurity, device management and help‑desk support as significant ongoing costs. District representatives said allowing multiple device platforms (student‑owned Macs, Windows machines, etc.) increases help‑desk costs and that uniform district‑issued devices simplify security, licensing and technical support.
Committee concerns and evidence requests: one senator asked for evidence that 1:1 computing produces better student outcomes; consultants said direct trials comparing textbooks to cloud‑based instruction are limited but that curriculum and supplemental materials increasingly reside in online platforms. The team agreed to look for additional outcome research and noted that textbook availability is shifting toward digital resources.
Next steps: consultants will further refine device counts, replacement cycles and district‑level costs and provide updated estimates in October, aligned with the salary and RCA work.
