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District tech director warns core network is end‑of‑life; E‑Rate can cover much of replacement cost
Summary
Technology staff told the board the district's core switching and wireless equipment are beyond vendor support; staff propose an RFP-backed replacement funded by redirected tech budget and E‑Rate reimbursements covering a substantial portion; rollout expected with minimal classroom disruption.
Technology leadership told the board that the district's core switching and wireless network are beyond vendor support and must be replaced to maintain operations and security.
Jamie, the district's technology lead, said there is no vendor support for the current core equipment and that the hardware is incompatible with available replacement gear; hardware and security updates are no longer available. Jamie said the district pursued a competitive RFP and selected vendors on multi-year support criteria and that E‑Rate Category 1 and 2 reimbursements will cover a substantial share of the cost (Jamie estimated roughly 48% coverage for the wireless portion, with Category 1 covering internet links). Staff said redirected technology‑operations funding and efficiency savings (centralized printing, subscription reductions) will help close the gap, and that new hardware and support were procured with a seven‑ to eight‑year life expectancy. Trustees asked about timeline, classroom disruptions and E‑Rate approval timing; staff said disruptions would be minimal and that some E‑Rate approvals are pending but the wireless piece already has approval while switching funding is still under review.
