Jennifer Cummings
Fratelli Group
202.822.9491
jcummings@fratelli.com

Washington, DC (January 29, 2007) – The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) will host four pre-conference workshops in conjunction with CoSN’s upcoming 12th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference, themed Bridging Individualized Learning and High-Stakes Accountability, which will take place March 28-30, 2007, in San Francisco, CA. The half-day workshops, which will convene on March 27, 2007, will explore a variety of topics related to education technology, including the importance of calculating the total cost of ownership (TCO), measuring the value of investment (VOI) in technologies, cyber security and data interoperability.

“Nationwide educators and administrators are learning that the future of education involves the implementation of technologies that have the power to transform the way schools communicate at both the individual school and district levels,” said Rich Kaestner, Project Director for CoSN’s Value of Investment Leadership Initiative and Instructor for both the TCO and VOI pre-conference workshops. “Our aim is to provide school leaders with best practices for determining the total costs of education technologies and guidance on how to evaluate their efficiency in helping to meet educational objectives.”

The TCO workshop, titled “The Cost of Technology – Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Training,” will focus on the tools necessary for school leaders to complete a TCO analysis, including the free, Web-based CoSN-Gartner TCO tools, which has been accessed by more than 1,700 schools and districts nationwide. This workshop will also include a discussion about the relationship between calculating the total cost of technologies and measuring the value of the investment in technology. Similarly, the “Measuring the Value of Investment (VOI) in Technology” workshop will delve further into the relationship between TCO and VOI, as well as explore the CoSN VOI methodology and tools, relating differences between K-12 VOI and business tools such as return on investment (ROI).

The additional two workshops will separately focus on cyber security and data interoperability. The cyber security discussion will underscore the importance of maintaining cyber security in schools and provide participants with a framework for developing and implementing a cost-effective safety plan.

“With so many new and existing threats to cyber security in schools, educators are often not aware of the many dangers that can potentially pose a risk to the integrity of data systems and other programs, and endanger student safety,” said Linda Sharp, Project Director of CoSN’s Cyber Security for the Digital District Initiative. “During the workshop, we will equip school leaders with information about new and emerging threats and a ‘how to’ on developing and implementing an action plan.”

In addition, the “3D, NCLB, & Me - Realizing the Benefits of Interoperability” workshop will examine the functionality of these systems and ways to implement interoperability for administrative and instructional applications. “From Federal No Child Left Behind Act requirements to assessments of schools on the district level, there is an increased focus on standards-based accountability in education, which makes data-sharing and data-driven decision-making absolutely essential to addressing and transcending those standards,” said Michael Jay, Co-Director of CoSN’s K-12 Open Technologies Leadership Initiative. “The workshop on interoperability will be valuable for any school leader currently contemplating, planning, or in the midst of implementing integrated data systems as a means to streamline school and district functions, enhance efficiency, and create more effective and responsive learning environments.”

For complete program information on the pre-conference workshops, conference full program, and how to register, please visit the official conference Web site at www.k12schoolnetworking.org.

About the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is the country’s premier voice in education technology leadership with a mission to serve as the national organization for K-12 technology leaders who use technology strategically to ultimately improve teaching and learning. CoSN provides products and services to support and nurture leadership development, advocacy, coalition building, and awareness of emerging technologies.

CoSN leadership initiatives include: Accessible Technologies for All Students (www.accessibletech4all.org); Cyber Security for the Digital District (www.securedistrict.org); Data-Driven Decision Making (www.3d2know.org); K-12 Open Technologies (www.k12opentech.org); Safeguarding the Wired Schoolhouse (www.safewiredschools.org); Taking Total Cost of Ownership to the Classroom (www.classroomtco.org); Value of Investment (www.edtechvoi.org); and the development of the Council of School District Chief Technology Officers (CTO Council).

CoSN’s membership includes a unique blend of education and technology leaders, policy makers, and influencers from the public and private sectors. Our audience includes key technology leaders (often called Chief Technology Officers—CTOs) in leading-edge states and districts, policy makers, private sector leaders, as well as those technology leaders who wish to accelerate their districts’ or states’ systemic technology use. Visit www.cosn.org or phone 866.267.8747 to find out more about CoSN’s programs and activities supporting leadership development to ensure that information technology has a direct and positive impact on student learning in elementary and secondary schools.