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Marion schools face a technology crisis [Ocala Star-Banner, Fla. :: ](Ocala Star-Banner (FL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) July 25--A decade ago, the Marion County School District was considered a state leader in the push to add new technology, from interactive smart boards to computerized overhead projectors. Back then, the School Board approved up to $2 million annually for new technology and to replace aging computers, or what officials call a "refresh." Flash forward to today, seven years after the recession hit the country. Marion officials have watched their budgets shrink. To balance the budgets, they had to all but eliminate the pot of dollars earmarked for technology. Now the district is struggling to figure out how to replace aging computers. High-stakes, state-mandated computerized testing, which includes the more interactive Florida Standards Assessments, is slated to debut in the spring. In the next three years, the district needs to replace 8,400 of its 21,329 computers. Those 8,400 units are obsolete and have neither the system requirements for students to use for the testing nor the ability to run other advanced programs. The upgrades are needed just to give the district enough usable computers to keep pace with its current less-than-ideal platoon-style testing method, in which there are one to three computer labs at a school and classes must rotate through to take their online tests. The upside is that the district needs fewer computers. The downside is it takes weeks to test all students in the spring. Another downside is that throughout the year, students use computer labs to take district assessments, end-of-course exams, retakes and other state-required tests. That means other students needing the computers for credit recovery, reading intervention or other coursework have to periodically vacate the labs because state testing takes precedence. The technology downslide is now a crisis, with district officials scrambling just to find the money to replace old computers -- never mind trying to arrange advanced technology. The district has $18 million worth of technology needs in the next five years and only about $2.2 million funded. All of that spending is scheduled for this year. That includes the purchase of 1,700 high-end Dell business-grade computers for $1 million. What is not funded is the purchase of 2,641 computers in 2015-16 and 4,061 in 2016-17, a combined cost of nearly $4 million. "When you don't refresh 800 computers each year, the need builds up," said Scott Hansen, director of technology and information systems. "Now we have many computers that are eight to 10 years old." And officials say that there are not enough computer stations at most every school, making it difficult for all students to even be tested in the state's spring testing window. The shortage was so bad at Osecola Middle School last year that Principal John McCollum had to raid nearby Eighth Street Elementary's computer lab so all his middle school students could be tested on time. Because of that, the district is adding a third computer lab at Osceola this summer. On Thursday, computer technicians spent the day setting up computers to transform an old classroom portable into a computer lab. Brian Guadagno, a senior desktop analyst, said the portable had to be wired with more data ports. He said an additional lab also will be installed at Fort King Middle School. Guadagno said taxpayers may question the district paying $588 per computer. He pointed out that the 1,700 computers are durable, business-grade machines, with three-year warranties and a guarantee from Dell that the components will not change during the next four years. That makes it easier to swap components if needed in the future. The funding challenge for technology does not include $27 million the district will need to replace electric lines and air conditioning units at 27 of its 30 elementary schools. Such infrastructure and equipment upgrades are needed to add more computers. Robert Knight, supervisor of facilities, said most schools are at capacity in terms of adding electricity. Some schools can't even handle the addition of five to seven more computers. He said it's not as simple as plopping a computer on a table. "It is a tremendous load on the electrical and cooling systems, as well as the (computer) networks," he said. Knight said computers produce heat, which in turn causes older air conditioning systems to run longer and harder. He said only three newer schools -- Legacy, Marion Oaks and Hammett Bowen elementary schools -- have enough electrical capacity. And even there some minor upgrades may be needed. Knight said the district has considered a stopgap: using battery-operated computers and WiFi. There are, however, major cybersecurity concerns. The technology needs are just one of many underfunded items on the district's recently unveiled five-year facility capital, maintenance and technology plan. Of $288 million in needs during the next five years, the district has only $32.7 million in funding. And $9.2 million of that is already earmarked for projects rolled over from 2013-14. In total, the bleak picture means 89 percent of the needs are unfunded. One of the biggest concerns right now for the district is that many schools have old air conditioning units. Of 12 prototype schools built between 1984 and 1999, only two have had air conditioning upgrades. Knight said the newest of those, Saddlewood Elementary, is 15 years old. The life span of an air conditioning system is about 20 years, he said. To replace air conditioning units at the nine older prototype schools -- most of which have reached 20 years -- it would cost a minimum of $4.5 million. Of those prototype schools, only Ocala Springs and Shady Hill elementary schools have had the upgrades. "We have only budgeted (repairs) at one or two of those schools," said Knight, adding that Reddick-Collier just received an upgrade and the district hopes to overhaul Harbour View Elementary's system in 2015-16. He said many of the air conditioning units are out of warranty and beyond the expected lifespan, and the district has little contingency funding to fall back on in case of emergency. "That doesn't include (the cooling needs) at the older elementary schools, middle schools and high schools," he noted. Knight said district projections of capital funding from the state have fallen short for seven consecutive years. In fact, even maintenance money, called Public Education Capital Outlay, or PECO, has been nonexistent in recent years. PECO money helps districts repair and replace major items at schools and district offices. In 2014-15, the first time in about four years, the district will receive PECO funds. Officials recently learned the amount will be about $800,000. The state hasn't issued new construction money to the district for many years, mainly due to the fact that enrollment statewide has been stagnant. Besides state PECO funding, the district received $22.1 million in capital revenue in 2013-14 from the local ad valorem capital tax, which is a 1.5 mill levy. But most of that is tied up in paying back debt service for schools built or renovated about a decade ago. In the end, only about $1.8 million will be available for emergencies throughout the district, which consists of 50 schools and many offices. The district will pump $7.2 million in general funds -- $4.2 million more than in 2013-14 -- into routine maintenance in 2014-15. About $2.2 million of that increase will be used to help pay for the computers and other technology upgrades. ___ (c)2014 Ocala Star-Banner (Ocala, Fla.) 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