Thanks to intelligent solutions, schools, colleges, and universities no longer need to manage user account life cycles by using scripts or tedious manual procedures. The solutions house the scripts and manual procedures. Accounts can be automatically created, modified, or deleted in all applications within the school. This article describes how an…

Spotsylvania County Public Schools (SCPS) in Virginia uses a document-imaging solution that leverages the features of a multifunction printer (MFP). An MFP is a printer, scanner, fax machine, and copier all rolled into one. It can scan a document and email it all in one easy step. Software is available that allows the MFP to scan bubble sheets and…

No matter how many car washes or bake sales schools host to raise money, adding funds to their coffers is a recurring problem. This perpetual financial difficulty makes expansive technology purchases or changes seem like a pipe dream for school CIOs and has education technologists searching for ways to stretch money. In 2005, state K-12 school…

More and more school districts across the country are joining social networking sites, such as Facebook and MySpace. This Information Capsule discusses the frequency with which school districts are using social networking sites, how districts are using the sites, and potential drawbacks associated with their use. Issues for districts to consider…

From using virtualization technology to accepting lunch payments online, school districts are seeking money-saving methods. In this article, the author discusses some methods used by school districts that allow them to save money from using virtualization technology to accepting lunch payments online.

School districts across the country have always had to do more with less. Funding goes only so far, leaving administrators and IT staff to find innovative ways to save money while maintaining a high level of academic quality. Creating virtual servers accomplishes both tasks, district technology personnel say. Virtual environments not only allow…

Technology has given people more ways to communicate, but contacting people seems to be harder than ever. Although most districts purchase a software to tell parents, students, and staff about inclement weather or to broadcast school announcements, new applications for informing and enlightening are still being discovered. Iredell-Statesville…

School systems face many decisions in developing and maintaining learning environments that create success for all students. From district operations to the classroom, district leaders implement solutions and take action based on the information they have at hand. While there is no shortage of data, turning that data into useful information is as…

In the early days of computer technology, few, if any, school districts had chief information officers (CIOs). Information Technology (IT) was handled by computer or technology coordinators, many of whom were classroom teachers with passing interests in computers and associated high-tech gadgets and gizmos. As districts began embracing CIOs, the…

Data integration is one of the single most challenging tasks any district can face. Fortunately for school districts throughout the country with data scattered in disparate systems, an open specification known as the Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) is mitigating that challenge. SIF has emerged as a cornerstone of K-12 data warehousing,…

This report shows how Universal Service Fund support for schools and libraries is used by school districts and libraries around the country. Highlighted are approximately 190 success stories of program participants that have come to rely on the USF to expand educational opportunities for students through better use of telecommunications technology…

In this article, the author presents a listing of Web resources which showcases sites created by school districts to support staff use of available technologies. These include Online Technology Tutorials from the Kent School District, Tips and Tutorials from the Kenton County (Kentucky) Schools Office of Instructional Technology, and Teacher…

The job of overseeing a school district's technology program has grown exponentially in recent years as computers, the Internet, and other technology applications have become essential to the daily operation of schools. What are the essential skills needed to oversee a school district's technology program? The Consortium for School Networking…

Outlines a systematic approach for evaluating the needs and potential problems involved when school districts seek to update their current information systems. Considers the following components: financial, technical, computer literacy, and information system management infrastructure. (MLF)

School districts are confronted with many decisions about computerization and computer services. Reviews the current landscape of computer hardware and software technology. Presents a computer decision-making process, including a flow chart. (MLF)