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District outlines E‑Rate‑funded firewall and switch upgrades; access point work deferred
Summary
Technology staff recommended using remaining E‑Rate Category 2 funds for switch replacements and battery backups now, with wireless access point upgrades left for a later cycle because aging switches must be replaced first.
District technology staff briefed the board on use of remaining E‑Rate Category 2 funds to upgrade core network components. The district has an E‑Rate funding balance after prior firewall and server projects and staff proposed replacing end‑of‑life classroom/closet switches and battery backups now and using future cycles to purchase new wireless access points.
The presenter said the district began the E‑Rate cycle with roughly $769,000 available and used $188,000 for firewall replacement; subsequent server work reduced available Category 2 funds to about $580,000. Staff described an RFP process that produced vendor proposals ranging from about $400,000 to $900,000; the recommended work would replace many aging switches (Cisco or equivalent) and battery backups so newer access points can be supported.
Because E‑Rate covers 85% of qualifying Category 2 equipment, staff estimated a project cost of about $680,000 with roughly $493,000 covered by E‑Rate and roughly $186,000 to come from the technology department budget. Staff said access point upgrades would likely total more and could be staged by building in a future E‑Rate cycle after switches are replaced.
Board members asked whether the program affects wireless coverage and how hotspots for students are managed. Technology staff said the district had completed a wireless site survey, identified dead zones, and cannot deploy newer access points until the underlying switches are replaced because many current switches do not support newer access points. The district also maintains a separate hotspot program for students who lack home internet access; staff said that program is monitored and billed monthly and currently costs substantially less than earlier levels (anecdotally around $1,000 per month now).
Staff said they will proceed with a scope that prioritizes closet switches and battery backups now and return with procurement and funding specifics for board approval.
