Technology department outlines 6-year device plan, rising software costs and security work after PowerSchool breach
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Summary
Technology staff presented a 6-year replacement plan covering about 8,122 devices, reported a near-9% increase in software and licensing costs, and described ongoing security work and data-privacy agreements in the wake of a widely reported PowerSchool breach that affected vendor credentials.
MERRIMACK, N.H. — The Merrimack Budget Committee received a technology and library services update that described a multi-year device replacement plan, rising software licensing costs and efforts to harden district cybersecurity.
Jason, the district’s technology lead, said the district is in year two of a six-year device-replacement plan and has inventoried about 8,122 devices across schools. “We’re in the second year of a six-year plan,” he said, and staff are scrutinizing software spend to remove duplicative or unused licenses.
Committee members were told software and licensing lines increased materially — the liaison cited an average increase near 9% — and that Microsoft’s licensing tier changes pushed up costs for desktop Office. The district is consolidating software purchases across buildings and shifting some usage to Google where practical to reduce licensing counts. Jason described a $9,500 annual service fee for computerized point-of-sale equipment earlier in the meeting as an example of recurring technology costs.
On data security, Jason said the district follows recognized frameworks (NIST/ISO), uses data-privacy agreements with vendors, and performs firmware and firewall updates regularly. He addressed the PowerSchool incident — which stemmed from compromised vendor credentials affecting many districts — and said Merrimack’s exposure was limited and that the district posted guidance and resources for affected families. “PowerSchool’s going and doing credit monitoring and everything from that,” he said, adding that the district did not store Social Security numbers in the affected system.
Committee members asked whether the district planned to change its 1:1 device approach post-COVID. Jason said the district is still seeing educational value in district-provided devices because many state tests and classroom activities now require online access.
The committee requested additional breakout detail on licensing by platform and multi-year commitments in future budget work sessions.
What’s next: Technology staff will provide license-by-license detail and projected PEPM (per‑employee/per‑device) recurring costs for committee review.
