A Message from DEG President Mike Huling
According to a recent study, public school districts in the United States are expected to layoff 275,000 teachers, administrators and support personnel in 2011. That’s a staggering number that will have negative repercussions for years.
I’m proud to say that DEG can help. We are focused on helping school districts across the country get the most out of every dollar spent on textbooks and course materials. By re-designing the textbook adoption process and on-boarding more cost-effective digital products and e-books, not only do we save schools significant dollars, but we also help advance and strengthen curriculum programs.
Challenging times call for the innovative strategies DEG offers. Simply put, we can’t afford to lose more teachers.
Here are some innovative ways schools are saving money.
Mike
Schools Can Save Money & Space with New Class Designs
According to North Carolina State researchers, a classroom designed with laptops in mind—that is, one that provides Wi-Fi and plenty of power outlets—could cut down on costs while improving the learning experience. This new classroom design allows students to bring their own laptops to class (or use one loaned from the school), thus eliminating the need for the school to use computer labs. Would Facebook and other internet distractions become too tempting to student during class? Researchers found that students using their own laptops tended to be more focused, perhaps because of their familiarity with the equipment they were using. Click here for the full story.
Oregon Schools Reduce Expenses by $1.5 Million with Google Apps
Oregon’s recent announcement that it will be one of the first state school systems to use Google Apps for Education in K-12 schools statewide is huge! Not only will it allow Oregon’s 540,000 public school students to receive teacher feedback on classroom projects in real time and create websites and online videos, but it will also save the state $1.5 million in IT costs since the service is hosted entirely on the Web, with no hardware, software or technology upkeep involved. According to Oregon Schools Superintendent Susan Castillo, exposing K-12 students to Google’s popular applications could help them become accustomed to tools they’ll use in college and the workforce. Read more about it here.
District Saves $5,000 Annually by Using Online School Lockers
California’s Del Mar Union School District has turned to a Web-based service offering students and teachers safe and convenient access to digital projects from any Internet location. School Web Lockers combine online storage, backup, collaboration and file sharing in a single system, allowing students to work on one computer, where they can store files in their personal, password-protected Web locker, only to complete the assignment later from any other computer. Projected to save the district $5,000 annually, these online lockers offer unlimited data storage, giving students the ability to maintain as many video projects, presentations and everyday assignments they need—all for just $1 per student per year! Click here to learn more.
DEG’s Textbook Strategy Estimated to Save More than $119K Per Year
DEG’s new textbook services, mentioned above in Mike’s message, where we reinvent a school district’s textbook procurement process, streamline its inventory management and creating strategic relationships with top publishers and academic vendors, can save up to $30 per student every year. That would save a typical district approximately $119,700 a year! The craziest part: we’re offering this service risk free, asking no money upfront from schools. We only get paid when the school saves. To learn more, please contact our Sales Department at 888-DIG-EDUC (344-3382) x103 or academic@digeduc.com.
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