District will stay with the one-to-one model
The Farmington School Board approved a plan to lease iPads for another three years at a one-to-one ratio for kindergarten through 12th grade during Monday’s meeting.
It wasn’t a unanimous decision. Two board members, Steve Corraro and Laura Beem, attempted to amend the resolution to make it a one-to-four iPad-to-student ratio for kindergarten through second grade, but the motion didn’t pass.
Beem said she felt like the district could scale back considering its budget situation. The iPads are paid for using the capital fund, which is used for building repair, maintenance and technology. Beem said while the district has chosen to use some of the money for technology instead of buildings, the district is considering going for a levy for buildings and maintenance in the fall.
“While this wouldn’t affect our general fund issues, it does affect the fact that we need money to repair our buildings and upkeep and so forth,” Beem said.
She said she understood it would have been a step back to reduce the ratio for the students but felt this was an opportunity to scale back without totally stepping on the district’s strategic plan.
Corraro said he has heard from many members of the community that iPads, particularly at the younger levels, were a good place to cut.
Members of the administration, teachers and board members Melissa Sauser and Jake Cordes spoke in strong support of keeping the ratio one-to-one.
“The vast majority of our data was falling in this camp of that (not using a one-to-one model) would significantly impact their learning in a variety of instances,” said Andrew Baldwin, the district’s instructional technology director.
He said he surveyed kindergarten through second-grade teachers and 91 percent said they use iPads daily, if not multiple times, and teachers said reducing the ratio would have a moderate or significant impact.
Baldwin said going to a one-to-four ratio would be a significant step backward.
North Trail Elementary School Principal Steven Geis agreed.
“If we took at step back, it would be devastating,” Geis said.
He said he’s seen transformation in both the staff and students at North Trail. The access to technology has allowed students to work on their weaknesses and enhanced their strengths.
“The cart model isn’t even a consideration,” Geis said.
Sauser said she didn’t want to continue to do a disservice to students after approving a budget measure that would increase class size recently. She also worried about losing quality staff because they have the training and tools to go elsewhere.
“I can’t in my right mind go backward,” Sauser said.
Cordes said cutting iPads to this level would be detrimental.
Cordes said he spent a few hours at few elementary classrooms during a recent tour and agreed with Geis that it would be devastating.
“When I was there, they were on the devices the whole time,” Cordes said.
Rachel Watson, a first-grade teacher from Farmington Elementary shared how she uses iPads daily in her classroom. She said she has seen test scores increase, and the iPads allow students to customize their education so they can advance at their own pace.
“I believe the iPads enhance my teaching and my students’ motivation and engagement,” Watson said.
Lisa Schlosser, a second-grade teacher at Riverview, said the iPads help her students focus, review directions, advance beyond their skill level, and catch up quickly if they’re behind.
Board chair Julie Singewald also voted in favor keeping the ratio one-to-one in kindergarten through second grade. Board Member Tera Lee was absent.
The plan includes one-to-one iPad Mini 2s for kindergarten through second grade. Third through 12th grade would have iPad Air 2. The total plan cost is $961,605.
The one-to-four ratio would have saved the district approximately $103,000 per year.
Director of Finance Jane Houska said there have been savings by having the iPads. The district has saved $166,000 on paper costs the past three years, a reduction of 32 percent. She said in 2011 the district spent $350,000 on books. This year the budget includes $140,000 for books.
Superintendent Jay Haugen noted that paper and textbooks costs come out of the general fund.
Earlier this year the district made a number of budget realignments because it is facing an potential $700,000 budget deficit for the 2015-16 school year. The administration considered eliminating elementary band and middle school sports, but settled on a plan that increased the number of flexible-learning days where students work from home on their iPads as well as increased class size for about half the classes.
The iPad lease is paid through the capital fund, not the general fund.
