Technology Blueprint | School District

Texas School District Partners with RSA Corp to Allocate Millions in Bond Funding

This south Texas school district educates more than 9,000 students and employs 1,412 faculty members. The district has nine elementary schools, three middle schools, one high school, eight private schools and an alternative school. It covers 94.82 square miles along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Challenge

After the approval of a proposition to move the school district into the digital age, the district was granted $5.5 million to upgrade its technology. Although the proposition was the initial driver for examining its technology, it was determined that the district needed a more comprehensive look at information technology use, processes and plans.

The superintendent’s goals were to radically increase the use of technology in the district’s educational and administrative processes and to initiate data-driven decisions. RSA Corp was commissioned to conduct a district-wide technology analysis to inventory existing technology and identify areas for improvement.

Solution

To identify technologies, processes and developing areas within the district, RSA Corp created a Technology Blueprint. This blueprint, or deployment plan, organizes the steps for designing, implementing and maintaining new technologies. The goal was to make recommendations and draw conclusions that were realistic for the district.

RSA Corp project managers and consultants engaged with executives and administrative and instructional faculties to understand current and planned facilities, software and capabilities. Based on this information, RSA Corp used its knowledge of available products and services to define alternative approaches. As the district’s business advisor, RSA Corp provided an overview of the current conditions and made recommendations for improvements. RSA Corp then assisted with implementation of the recommendations and delivery of the projects.

Result

The Technology Blueprint was completed on time and on budget. With RSA Corp, the school district reduced the cost of technology implementation and invested its funding in effective technologies that will increase efficiencies and bring it into the digital age. 

Because of the success of the project, the district asked RSA Corp to review the communication infrastructure design for a new elementary school. During that review, RSA Corp made several recommendations that saved the district more than $100,000 in unnecessary expenses. RSA Corp now serves, pro bono, on the district’s newly formed technology steering committee, chaired by the district superintendent.