Once a district determines what technologies to implement, the next concern is finding the funds to pay for everything. Effective change doesn’t come cheap. Districts have both limited resources and stringent requirements, so strategies must be cost-effective. They have to be more creative than in the past to keep their current initiatives going and add new strategies for the future. How can districts decide what to do? And how will those whose mission it is to integrate technology preserve needed funds?

According to the Consortium for School Networking, schools and districts whose leaders have a vision for technology use plus strong support from the community and parents are more likely to sustain or even expand technology initiatives – more so than schools and districts that lack this visionary leadership and support. Yes, funding remains an issue; however, these leaders tackle the problem by finding ways to raise additional funds or to re-purpose existing dollars.

Whether proposing a new bond issue for technology, trying to win a grant, or just getting community support, it is important to know what you want. Where do you start? Form a team to define the purpose, write a mission statement, define the scope of work with goals and objectives, develop a budget and timeline, and find a funding source that aligns to your program.

Strategies exist that can help schools and districts tap into the financing that will help them achieve technology integration.