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=Summary of School Board Budget Meeting = =April 30, 2012 =

====School board president Dr. J. McLoughlin began the meeting by summarizing a previous meeting where the board’s vote was tied as to whether or not to lease an additional 500 computers. The board had already approved the replacement of 1500 computers but the additional 500 would lead to a tax increase. An approval of the 500 computers would bring the high school to a 1:1 computing ratio. ====

====The board president gave each board member an opportunity to expressed their point of view and cast their vote. Some of the discussions were about ====


 * ====students benefitting from a 1:1 environment ====
 * ====concerns that computers will not increase test scores ( PSSAs or SATs) ====
 * ====21st Century Skills ====
 * ====need for evidence of incremental improvements in a 1:1 computing environment ====
 * ====district unable to show ROI when implementing a1:1 environment ====
 * ====administration’s diligence in keeping down costs ====
 * ====tax increase will be minimal ====
 * ====1:1 is seen as a resource and improvement ====

====In the end, five voted for the addition of 500 computers and four voted against it. The president adjourned the meeting. ====

====I.C. Management and administration of technology programs at the building, district and regional levels including: ====


 * ====Planning and utilization of facilities including, budgeting, accounting, and program reporting, grantsmanship, personnel administration, and staff development ====

====This activity fulfills PDE requirements by experiencing a budgetary process of voting for 500 computers to bring a ubiquitous computing environment to the high school. The resultant vote brought the district closer to their Educational Technology goal of moving toward a 1:1 learning environment (SLSD, 2011, p. 10). ====

====<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">I have attended other school board meetings in the past but have never witnessed discussions on the pros and cons of a 1:1 learning environment. Based upon the wide variety topics discussed and the differing points of view, I believe that there needs to be more information for the public about the outcomes of a 1:1 learning environment. Some successful outcomes, according to Project RED, include increases in high-stakes test scores, less disciplinary actions, lower dropout rates, an increase in AP enrollment, and some cost savings (Tech & Learning, 2011). ====

====<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">Tech & Learning. (2011). //Study shows the benefits of 1:1 and the factors that enhance success//. Retrieved from [] ==== ====<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: left;">SLSD. (2011). //Educational technology report.// Retrieved from http://slsd.org/files/filesystem/Ed%20Tech%20Plan.pdf ====