Staff Writer 

Maine superintendents have a few months to decide what high school computers are worth. According to a presentation by Maine Department of Education Commissioner Sue Gendron last week, single and consolidated school districts will either have to cope with the expense of extending high school computer access, or say goodbye to laptops already issued to high school teachers. 

“It’s really important that all students have computers and can bring them home,” Department of Education spokesman David Connerty-Marin said of the proposed plan. “It goes from becoming an occasional tool to something they really learn to value and use.”

Gendron’s proposal comes more than seven years after every school district in the state agreed to buy into a $13 million state-funded program that provided all middle school students and their teachers with laptops. Connerty-Marin said the program was expanded several years ago to provide high school educators and administrators – from librarians to superintendents – with computers as well. 

“Those computers were issued with the intent of bring the one-to-one program to the high school,” Gendron said. “If a school district chooses not to enroll in the one-to-one, we will need to return those.”

South Portland schools Business Manager Polly Ward said more than 70 computers have been issued to the high school through the middle school program. Cape Elizabeth Superintendent Alan Hawkins estimated there were 90 throughout the halls of the Cape Elizabeth High School. Both agreed replacing the computers would be costly but necessary.

“We’re probably not going to be able to get the price [Gendron’s proposal] is offering,” Hawkins said. “Teachers really do need these computers, they use them to keep track of statistical data for grades, homework and attendance.”

In order for teachers to keep the computers they have already been issued, Gendron said school districts will have to jump onboard with her proposal to provide every high school student with a brand new laptop. Connerty-Marin said enrollment would cost approximately $275 per student, the total of which could be less than the amount of General Purpose Aid schools receive specifically earmarked for technology. 

“They will be able to lease the laptops for less than the money we’re already including in their state and local share,” he said. “About $25 million will cover all the school districts.”

Ward and Hawkins have done the math, and their districts do not fall in the category of schools that will save money by enrolling.

Ward said South Portland receives roughly $30,000 from the state for technology funding each year. Enrolling in the program would cost approximately $217,000 – eliminating their state funding and creating an unprecedented $180,000 expenditure in the budget, she said.

“We’re wondering ‘How do we do this without harming our state subsidy?’ Do we use stimulus money?” she asked. “We’re still without any document that tells us what we will see.”

Hawkins, who said enrollment would consume Cape Elizabeth’s $28,000 in state funding and cost an additional $105,000 – was also hesitant to rely on stimulus money to provide computers.

“[Gendron] seemed to think stimulus money could be used here, but it’s very clear the amount we receive will be smaller than larger districts,” he said. “Besides, I have other ideas for stimulus money.”

Some superintendents expressed concern with the amount of manpower it could take to get the computers ready for distribution. If enrolled, some could receive nearly 1,500 computers – all of which need to be programmed and set up for student use – at once. Gendron said assistance from the Department of Education may be available, but said it was not something she had thought about. In smaller schools, Hawkins said it would most likely not be an issue.

“One of the things I’m doing is revamping the entire technology program anyway,” he said. “We can do it, but we have got to realign all of the duties in that department.”

In the end, Ward and Hawkins agreed the expense of enrollment would most likely be less than the cost of outfitting the entire high school staff with new computers. 

“Unless something drastic happens, we will join the program,” Hawkins said. “I’m just not sure how to pay for it.”

Connerty-Marin said at least one school had already agreed to enroll in the program, which can also include funding to establish a wireless networks at schools that do not already have a comparable system in place.

“Some schools have already been doing this on their own,” he said. “Essentially, whatever they’re doing with their technology funding is what or even less than they’ll spend at the $275 per student rate.”