Tech inventories expected to cut fees for D 87 parents

A new textbook rental program Glenbard High School District 87 officials hope to implement next year is expected to save parents money each year, although the actual savings will depend on the student's courses.

Superintendent Mike Meissen said during Tuesday's board meeting the move will also ease the district's transition toward a standard curriculum throughout the four schools by creating a database that will allow quick checks of inventory.

“This is a dynamic thing and we want to position our students with more state-of-the-art systems for learning, he said. “This is a logical step to getting to a system that is much more affordable to families.

At a finance committee meeting last month, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Chris McClain and Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Hector Garcia took a look at the district's book program and found that it was a strain on family budgets and that administrative and software upgrades could help control costs.

Under the new system, parents would pay a $125 fee each school year to participate in the system. Right now, parents routinely pay between $300 and $400 per year, according to board vice president Tom Voltaggio, who has had children go through the district. The fee would allow the program, which would require a $78,000 initial investment as well as about $3.6 million in inventory-building costs, to break even by the fifth year.

The initial investment would cover barcoding software and hardware at the district's four schools. If implemented, the system would create a bookstore inventory gradually over the next five years.

“We think there is an opportunity to improve by moving into technology, McClain said, noting that most actions are done manually where automated inventory procedures could help.

“The key driving force is economics for our families, a fair price for the rental of textbooks and an improvement in administrative programs and systems.

A report distributed Tuesday noted that the new program would help steady family budgets, which could now plan for an annual fee rather than a sporadic charge, and it would help with a drive to create one curriculum in the district by requiring those writing the curriculum to request a standard book the previous year.

This will rein in inventory numbers and gave the board a chance to reduce fees, which it has been trying to do for years, said board President Rose Malcolm.