One-to-One in Michigan: Examining the challenges and triumphs of a statewide laptop initiative.

By Tom McHale
The Freedom to Learn program is a statewide initiative coordinated by the Michigan Department of Education and Ferris State University in Big Rapids. Now beginning its third year, the program targets underperforming middle schools in 100 of the state's 500 districts. More than 23,000 students and 1,500 teachers have been issued HP nx9010 notebook computers with wireless capabilities, and new instructional models center on inquiry and project-based learning.

Funding
Demonstrating a strong commitment to a one-to-one environment, Michigan dedicated $7.5 million to the start-up program, with both state and federal funds financing the implementation phase to deliver the $1,040 HP package to individual teachers and students.

Funding, however, remains an ongoing challenge because the program does not provide for the infrastructure, upgrades, and additional costs needed to maintain it beyond the four-year HP training and support commitment. According to a Metiri Group study, "One-to-One in Michigan: A State Profile," the funding model was based on the Henrico County, Virginia initiative, which sought to sustain a laptop program for every teacher and student without seeking new money after initial implementation. In Henrico, reallocation is key, with the county redirecting 4 percent of its operations and maintenance budget to keep the program afloat.

In Michigan, sustained funding is left up to individual school districts. According to Leslie Wilson, director of professional and curriculum development for FTL, districts must rethink current models, trust the vision, and make changes to meet it. FTL has used the CoSN-Gartner TCO Tool to help schools and districts determine the total cost of ownership needed to deploy and maintain the program.

According to "Measuring the Value of One-to-One Computing," a case study by FTL consultants Wilson and Eric L. Peterson, three districts using the CoSN-Gartner Tool reclaimed significant monies by sharing facility laboratories, eliminating the use of classroom inkjet printers, enlisting financial support from parents, and purchasing refurbished computers, servers, and printers at reduced costs. Currently, FTL is in the process of creating its own TCO tool for school leaders and is offering professional development workshops about grant writing and alternative funding sources to administrators. Read more….

Article originally appeared in Technology & Learning and was reprinted in the School CIO electronic newsletter.