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Oak County board hears plan to buy district fiber to cut WAN costs, boost resilience
Summary
The board heard a non-action presentation on leasing vs. buying a district fiber wide-area network. CTO Dr. Price said owning fiber could reduce recurring WAN lease costs over time, add redundancy and security, and that an RFP would be issued after July 1 to compare options.
Trustees heard a non-action presentation on June 8 about options to replace the district’s leased WAN with a district-owned fiber ring, a move staff said could lower long-term costs and increase network resilience.
Dr. Price, the district’s chief technology officer, told the board the district currently spends about $570,000 a year to lease its wide-area network and roughly $44,000 a year for internet service in fiscal 2026. "If we made a move to purchase and build our own fiber," he said, "the upfront cost year one is 7 million. After that the cost dropped to around $100,000 a year." He added that slides in the presentation also referenced a separate figure (about $1.3 million) for certain year-one construction components and that final pricing would depend on procurement responses and project scope.
Why it matters: Dr. Price said owning the fiber would give the district long-term budget control if federal E-rate reimbursements change, reduce recurring WAN lease exposure and add a second point of entry at Synica Middle School to maintain service if the district office connection is disrupted. He also cited security gains: a second firewall and more direct control over who can access district strands.
Board members asked about liability for student and staff data breaches and construction challenges. Dr. Price said ownership would strengthen operational control and redundancy but would not eliminate the district’s responsibility for network security. He noted the primary practical hurdle reported by neighboring districts was construction timeline in a geographically large county.
Next steps: Dr. Price said staff would issue a request for proposals after July 1, compare bids (including continued-lease options), and bring recommendations to the board in the fall. He emphasized the RFP would not obligate the district to purchase if proposals are unfavorable.
Budget context: Staff noted the district has added to a technology reserve in prior years and that this reserve plus any year-end surplus could provide the financial capacity for a down payment if the board elects to pursue purchase.
Sources: Presentation by Dr. Price to the Oak County School District Board of Trustees on June 8, 2026.
