Responsibly and sustainably investing in tech for school nets District 62 $1 million
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of durable, quality technology prepared to withstand years of use and help keep school districts connected and students learning.
But investing in that technology can be expensive - even with access to temporary federal pandemic relief funds. To help defray costs and responsibly manage taxpayer dollars, Des Plaines Elementary District 62 teamed up with Diamond Assets, a trusted Apple technology sustainability partner, to leverage a sustainable strategy: upcycling its Apple technology.
As a result, District 62 received more than $1 million - a check for $1,085,018 to be exact - from Diamond Assets that will be reinvested in future needs to help ensure students, teachers and staff of District 62 have the highest-quality technology going forward.
Like other school districts, District 62 is focused on being a good financial steward of taxpayer funds. With that being top of mind, they also made a strong commitment to "digital citizenship" - stressing proper, responsible, long-term care of technology products - which means their equipment was in good working order at the end of its use.
That contributes to the higher return value that benefits both District 62 in gaining the $1 million check and allows other organizations, businesses and schools - which otherwise would not be able to purchase such quality equipment - to buy these securely cleaned devices.
Thousands of schools, government agencies and businesses across the country are looking into the real benefits of having qualified organizations buy back their technology and provide them with a long-term technology sustainability plan to reinvest those funds into new technology.
While being intentional with technology purchases is nothing new, it is now more important than ever. Today's growth of the digital learning landscape puts more pressure on tech systems than we ever experienced in the past.
Today's buyer cannot approach technology purchases in the same way as they always have. Where you may have paid more attention to budget in the past, now schools and districts must focus on all facets of the investment: system, quality and return on investment.
In District 62's situation, its leadership also was thinking long term, which included the processes for proper use, upcycling and reinvestment opportunities.
This partnership checked a lot of boxes for District 62's leaders and its board. It's a strong plan that accounts for technology needs now and for the future. Because of COVID, schools across the country had already been catapulted into a tech-forward future, and the pandemic further accelerated computer and tablet use for remote and hybrid learning.
Sustainability also promotes good stewards of internal resources as well as taxpayer dollars. Discarded electronic devices are the world's fastest-growing waste stream (generating a record-high 53.6 million metric tons in 2019 alone). Budgeting for long-term technology needs means District 62 also avoided the surprise of an urgent, expensive request that can happen if you push technology beyond its life span.
By prioritizing high-quality technology, students and employees get the best opportunities for learning, and the teachers and staff get the support needed to provide that education.
Additionally, the products are responsibly cleaned, updated and offered to individuals across the world who don't have access to first-generation products. Just as District 62 is providing equitable access to high-quality technology to its students, a partnership like this can do so for other people, organizations, and regions of the world.
Planning for this technology funding makes a world of difference. Schools are not surprising their board or community with an urgent request for a large sum of money when it's time to refresh devices. A surprised school board is an unhappy board.
If you make sure your district can predict future technology costs effectively, when it's finally time to present the plan you've been telling them about, they'll be more willing to support a refresh.
Through proper planning and use, products can be well cared for and worth real dollars in return value. Teachers and students need a constant stream of fresh technology in order to thrive.
Rather than worrying about what to do next with equipment, educators should focus on what they do best: helping children learn.
• Tim Schigur is Director of Procurement for Diamond Assets (www.diamondassets.com)