Wednesday, June 17, 2015

WSD Computerized Education Cost


The Wasatch School District was kind enough to respond to a GRAMA request from WTPA about expenditures for 'Digital Conversion Expenses" (aka known as 'computer oriented education').  

This post is merely a report on the financial aspects, and does not intend to comment on the viability and efficacy of this new pedagogy.    Hopefully the school district will soon report how effective digitization has been in increasing educational outcome.  In the meantime try this analysis , or here, or here, pros and cons,  and here 
 A grand total for 3 years of $5.7 Million already, PLUS at least $771,773 proposed 2016-7.  That corresponds to an average expenditure of about $1,000 per student or about $21,000 per teacher over the three year period.

Devices: 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 Students Avg cost 2016-17
Devices RMMS $518,769

850 $610
Devices TIS $273,158 $324
844 $324
Cases $52,000 $61,000


??
Projectors $42,000 $147,000 $344,000

??
Wireless upgrades $75,000 $77,000 $79,000

??
Yearly Total $960,927


$960,927
Devices WHS
$1,460,900
1664 $878
Yearly Total
$1,745,900

$1,745,900
Devices 3-4

$425,250 1200 $360
Teacher laptop upgrades

$177,600 270.62 $656 ??
Yearly Total

$1,025,850 5710 $1,025,850
Device Repair & Upgrades




??







Digital curriculum: 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 3 yr total $3,732,677 2016-17
Core digital curriculum $91,010 $257,009 $387,791 $735,810
$387,791
Supplemental digital curriculum $45,445 $85,129 $119,854 $250,428
$119,854
Curriculum subtotal: $136,455 $342,138 $507,645 $986,238
$507,645







Schoolnet IIS
$131,980
$131,980
$100,798
Supporting change of practice $187,630 $262,980 $303,330 $753,940
$163,330
Planning/project management $84,250 $97,250 $92,000 $273,500

Technical support $10,500 $14,000 $17,500 $42,000

Negotiated savings
-$94,000 -$92,000 -$186,000

Total curriculum: $418,835 $754,348 $828,475 $2,001,658
$771,773

$1,379,762 $2,500,248 $1,854,325 2013-16: $5,734,335



per student
$1,004



NOTES: Figures have been realigned somewhat to make it easier to understand.  The top half seems to 'hardware' expenses, the bottom is curriculum costs.  Totals were added for the respective fiscal years yielding a grand total for 3 years of $5.7 Million.
  • It is unclear whether the curriculum cost will continue as yearly expenditures. As most of the figures for 2015-6 are again presented for 2016-7,  we may assume a continuing annual expense.
  • It is also unclear why no continuing hardware expense is shown for 2016-7 "??"
  • As no enrollment figures (other than district totals were found at Wasatch.edu) the enrollment figures were found here for per student average 'cost.'  Avg cost for "Device 3-4" used half the listed total elementary enrollment.
  • The teacher count was computed using the pupil per teacher ratio.

Much of this money was "found" money in property taxes which were received in excess of the original budget expectations. Some may opine that it is actually from the 50% Truth in Taxation increase of 2007, which has allowed, created, caused or precipitated much of the free spending philosophy of recent years. (Football Stadium, marble floors, sports facilities, etc.)

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