For the cost of dinner out for a family of four, students in the Federal Way School District could all have their own personal portable computing device.
The device, to be determined later, would be along the lines of an “ebook,” like a Kindle or the iPod Touch. The technology would allow for digital textbooks, graphing calculators, Internet research, document creation and editing. The devices would be phased in starting with sixth-graders.
The school district is looking at a new technology levy. The current one will expire next year.
Technology, although often required by the state, is not included in basic education and is therefore not funded by the state.
The technology department first compiled a dream wish list from staff and then paired that down to the most common requests and items that would keep them on par with neighboring districts. That new list would cost $26.5 million over six years, or $4.4 million a year. That amount would put the tech levy tax rate at $0.37 per $1,000 of assessed value for a home. For the average Federal Way home, that would work out to $75.86 a year, according to the district’s Chief Financial Officer Sally McLean.
The full list would include continuing the annul upgrade of 20 percent of the district’s oldest computers; an operating system upgrade (the district recently upgraded to Windows XP); portable electronic devices for students (generally just the older students require textbooks); new servers; wireless access; a new phone system; video projectors and document cameras; new technology for math and science classes; new software for grades and libraries; and additional technology staff.
The district is also mulling over some trimmed down versions of the levy — from $2 million per year for a bare bones package to keep what they have still working and basic replacements, to a $3.3 million per year package that has some wish list items as well as those deemed necessary by the district.
Costs for those versions range from $0.17-$0.27 per $1,000 assessed value.
The current technology levy runs taxpayers $0.15 per assessed value, or about $31 a year.
The $4.4 million per year proposal may also go down slightly if the district seeks other funding sources for a new phone system, which needs to be replaced. Parts aren’t even available for the current phone system, and the district buys parts on eBay. The new phone system, a voice-over IP (digital phones), would cost $3 million total. If the district gets another source of funding, potentially state funding, then it would bring the full list levy down to $0.32 per $1,000 assessed value or $65.61 per year, McLean said.
This month, the school board will discuss the new tech levy, including potentially changing to a lower rate for the first couple of years. The board will discuss what the tax rate would like, considering the construction bond that is still out. The board will vote on the issue in November.
The October board meetings will be open for public comment on the proposed levy. The district will present a levy in either late October or November.
