Computers in classrooms do make sense
n GUSD Board’s Split Vote on
Computer Purchases for
Schools Shortsighted
Dear Editor,
Recently the Gilroy Unified School District Board of Trustees split 3 to 3 on a vote with regards to the purchase of 678 computers. The biggest portion (527 computers) are for two schools – Solorsano, a Blue Ribbon School ‘and Las Animas, the only elementary school to show a 25-point API gain in 2006. Solorsano is replacing 286 terminals that are four years old and have never worked effectively. Las Animas has never had computers in the classroom due to old infrastructure of the school, is getting 241 computers. The remainder of the computers are for five different schools and the district office.
While support is an issue, keep in mind that all the newly acquired computers do come with 5-year warranty and the manufacturer will install all of the machines thus lessening the impact upon the IT department. Still, our district will still need to plan for future growth. Currently IT has been spending a lot of time on Solorsano’s 286 faulty computers, as noted at the June 21 board meeting. With the help of the Technology Learning Committee and the onsite warranty, the impact on IT will be drastically lowered.
Is funding an issue? Looking at fund distribution, the purchase is funded between five different accounts. Measure I (36 percent), Microsoft (57 percent), general fund (1 percent), site categorical (5 percent) and site general fund (2 percent). The biggest portion of the purchase (93 percent) is to be done with funds that legally can’t be diverted to the general fund. Measure I funds have been spent strictly according to a plan that was approved both by the Citizen OverSight Committee and the Board, with quarterly reports given to both committees. Another restricted fund, Microsoft, needs to be spent on technology. What better use than revamping your blue ribbon school with computers that work? A remaining 7 percent could be redirected back to the general fund, but is it worth the time? I think staff has spent more in time and materials discussing this issue.
Apart from all of this, the essential question is this: Is technology an effective tool in the classroom? GUSD is not the first to pose this question. Educators have been asking since the 1980’s. There are pros and cons. This year you have a study that denounces it. Guess what? Next year you have the opposite. There’s a lot of concern with the effective use of computers in the classroom. Professional development and a scope and sequence that complements the master plan will address this issue. This is where the board needs to focus.
I firmly believe that one’s mastery of skills in life needs to be balanced. Our students need to be well rounded in all subjects – math, science, art, music, reading and comprehension, technology and many more.
We are right to expect our public schools to be able to provide a well-rounded education that prepares them to be productive citizens. It is the responsibility of our elected officials to ensure that this is happening. In this digital divide we need to ensure our children are getting exposed to needed elements in technology to help prepare them for the future, as well as give them technological confidence to perform well on computerized tests, such as our MAP test.
Computers in our classrooms help to provide equity for our students, especially in preparation for the districts MAP test. Just as our district spends money on multiple measures of testing to monitor student progress, they should also spend money to enable students to enhance their learning through computers.
Ardy Ghoreishi, Gilroy
