The pandemic underscored the need for technology equity.
When schools rapidly shifted to remote learning in March 2020, many schools were left scrambling. Faced with a rapidly evolving public health crisis, schools dramatically altered their instructional models to serve students remotely. While more resourced schools had access to Chromebooks, wireless hotspots, and audiovisual equipment, those with fewer resources faced difficult choices in distributing a limited number of devices.
Further complicating this challenge, many students who regularly used school-issued devices during the school day lacked internet access at home. Even with a Chromebook from their school, these students couldn’t access the vast majority of online instructional resources provided by their school, much less engage in regular videoconferencing with their teachers and peers.
These challenges underscored the need for greater technology equity within schools and forced administrators to think through how they could–moving forward–provide each student with the hardware, software, and other technology resources increasingly central to instruction.
At CTS, we’ve worked directly with school leaders across the country to develop creative solutions to these and other technology problems. By helping schools procure low-cost devices, providing transparently priced IT service packages, and supporting schools in tracking and maintaining their existing devices, we’ve helped leaders make the most of scarce financial resources and promote greater technology equity within their buildings.
CTS provides resources to school teams that need to procure low-cost devices.
First and foremost, most schools simply need more devices to meet the needs of their students. While some may be able to cut it with a single Chromebook cart that rotates among classrooms, schools across the country are rapidly shifting to a 1:1 student-device ratio in which the school assigns each student their own device. Coupled with supply chain issues wrought by the pandemic, locating and procuring these devices can consume excessive amounts of school administrators’ time.
By partnering with CTS, schools can reclaim the time lost to sourcing student devices and ensure they receive a fair shake under current market conditions. With decades of experience in the educational technology space, our team knows where to go to get the best deals for our partner schools and can also help schools understand how technology purchasing decisions align with their broader instructional goals. From choosing an operating system that’s compatible with the school’s existing hardware to identifying the required software for each device, our team can help your school source, set up, and maintain a fleet of low-cost devices available to every student.
CTS offers transparently priced IT service packages to cut technology-related costs for schools.
Along with procurement support, CTS also offers transparently priced service packages that allow schools to know with certainty how much they’ll spend on technology each school year. By charging schools at a flat rate, CTS gives leaders the certainty they need to budget their scarce financial resources accurately.
This certainty gives school leaders peace of mind and allows them to devote their financial resources to other, equity-oriented priorities. For instance, by knowing the amount of money budgeted for managed IT services, the school can confidently invest in additional student devices, assistive technology for students with special needs, or purchase wireless access points for student use outside of school. These purchases not only bolster the school’s technology programming but also ensure the school’s resources are accessible to each of its students. Depending on the package a school purchases, students can also contact CTS for troubleshooting support.
Finally, CTS helps schools keep track of their devices to reduce replacement costs.
Of course, a school can’t provide devices to each of its students if its technology resources constantly go missing. CTS can support schools in implementing best practices in device management and reduce replacement costs by maximizing the school’s existing inventory. After creating a “golden source” of device tracking information–the one place every teacher and support staff member can go to to view the status of a given device–CTS can help schools determine which devices need replacing if any, and which can be repaired for future use. By making the most of the school’s existing technology inventory, CTS again helps schools by freeing up scarce financial resources for other instructional and non-instructional priorities.
At CTS, we partner with schools to improve technology equity and promote student achievement.
Our team has worked with more than 60 schools across the United States to improve their technology programming and ensure each student has the technology resources they need to learn. We view ourselves as deeply ingrained in the missions of our partner schools and actively collaborate with school leaders to determine how specific technology choices fit within the school’s broader instructional mission. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help your school accomplish its unique mission.
