Jennifer Cummings
The Fratelli Group
202.822.9491
jcummings@fratelli.com

Washington, DC (July 5, 2006) – The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) today launched two important new resources to help education technology leaders make informed technology decisions about one-to-one computing. The first is a One-to-One Information Resource web site (www.k12one2one.org), intended for educators interested in learning more about states and school districts that have undertaken one-to-one computing initiatives. The site also includes extensive resources and research on one-to-one computing initiatives. CoSN also released three new school district case studies examining both the total cost of ownership (TCO) of one-to-one efforts and how districts are calculating the value of that investment.

“We know that educators are hungry for information about one-to-one computing. We hope these new tools and resources will help key education technology leaders make informed decisions about one-to-one computing,” said Keith R. Krueger, CEO of CoSN.

Developed in partnership with the One-to-One Institute, the new web site provides the first public online directory of major US K-12 institutions that give students and teachers one-to-one access to technology. It also provides background information, news, announcements and research about one-to-one teaching and learning programs for K-12 schools and organizations across the United States.

SRI International was the original developer of this website (originally called Ubiquitous Computing Evaluation Consortium) under a project funded by the National Science Foundation. Funding for the project was concluded in early 2006. CoSN and the One-to-One Institute have joined forces to maintain and update the content.

“Broad implementation of the one-to-one learning model has the potential to enhance the way teachers teach and the way students learn,” said Bruce Montgomery, President of the One-to-One Institute. “Together with CoSN, we are helping educators, school technologists and district administrators understand that for schools to keep pace with the ever-evolving world of technology, it is important that they embrace this learning model.”

In addition to launching the one-to-one site, CoSN has also released three new school district case studies examining both the cost and value of investing in one-to-one initiatives. Each case study approaches the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) assessment differently - from a district, school or project perspective. These case studies provide ground-breaking work on how districts are calculating the value of their technology investments, increasingly known as Value of Investment (VOI). These new case studies are located at www.classroomtco.org, and are part of CoSN’s ongoing Taking TCO to the Classroom leadership initiative.

“The new case studies provide great benchmarks for educators considering one-to-one initiatives. First, they look at the actual total costs of three districts that have undertaken a ‘ubiquitous’ computing environment. Even more importantly, we look at how these districts have defined the ‘value’ of that investment,” said Rich Kaestner, Project Director, CoSN’s Taking TCO to the Classroom leadership initiative.

CoSN is the preeminent expert in applying business concepts of Total Cost of Ownership in the K-12 environment, and these new case studies will help educators better understand the full cost of one-to-one initiatives from the perspectives of three districts that have implemented these strategies.

CoSN launched its "Taking TCO to the Classroom" project in 1999 to provide school leaders with tools to help them estimate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) involved when they build a network of computers and wire their classrooms to the Internet. "Ownership" in this context includes all of the costs associated with using and maintaining networked computers, no matter whether a school district owns or leases them. TCO traditionally also includes calculations of costs that may not turn up in a budget, but that can still have an impact on school district operations--for example, when teachers must take time out of their day to address their own tech support problems.

“Understanding TCO and VOI is critical for helping school leaders make strategic investments in technology and make a compelling case to key decision-makers that the investment makes sense. We are at a very early stage in calculating the value of our technology investments,” said Krueger. “By understanding both the full costs and measuring the value of investment in technology, educators can make informed decisions about when to implement new technologies, such as one-to-one computing.”

CoSN’s TCO project is supported by the generosity of corporate partners Apple, Dell, Gateway, HP, and Intel.

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); 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.

About the One-to-One Institute

The One-to-One Institute is a national, non-profit organization that facilitates school reform and renewal by advancing the implementation of one-to-one, student-centered teaching and learning programs through ubiquitous technology. Funding from Hewlett Packard Company has enabled the One-to-One Institute to begin to assemble resources to help states and schools districts plan and launch their own one-to-one programs. Organizations interested in contributing to the One-to-One Institute’s mission are encouraged to visit the institute’s website at www.one-to-oneinstitute.org or to call 517.335.2183 for additional information.