Technology staff seek multi‑year security, server and device replacements; E‑Rate funding expected to offset costs

District technology staff presented planned capital and operational technology purchases to support instruction and infrastructure.

Key items presented include a multi-year firewall and security refresh (software, hardware and five years of support anticipated), server and storage replacement, wireless upgrades, and an increased number of Windows-device replacements this year to accommodate Windows 11 compatibility and end-of-life hardware. The district supports roughly 57,100 Chromebooks and about 1,000 Windows devices; staff said they have already onboarded more than 1,400 laptops and Chromebooks in recent months. The technology department emphasized a high in-house service level (the majority of support work is performed by district staff), and described ongoing use of E-Rate funding to offset the cost of connectivity and eligible infrastructure (estimated 45–55% reimbursement depending on free/reduced counts). A cybersecurity pilot under E-Rate was also mentioned as a potential future funding source for security tools.

District leaders said final contract terms and multi-year pricing will be evaluated through competitive procurement; the firewall/security item is an example of a multi-year contract that would be e-rate eligible. Staff recommended placing the technology plan on the consent agenda for board approval unless a member requests further discussion.