Metro East Sun

The Edwardsville School District 7 budget for next year was voted on and changed, with millions of dollars being added to the technology budget. 

The budget for the 2019-2020 school year was approved and then sent to the board by the finance committee and then approved by the school board. Assistant Superintendant Dave Courtney  estimated the total cost to give each student a laptop to exceed $1.1 million, according to The Telegraph. This includes a new Dell laptop being given to each high school student. When Lelan Olsen, a school board member, asked Superintendent Jason Henderson if students could bring their own devices the answer was "no" because the district uses a blanketed network.

Money from other areas will be set aside to offset the costs. As long as laptop prices do not soar, the county does not anticipate any additional costs for taxpayers, faculty, or parents, according to The Intelligencer.  Currently, they are looking at Chromebooks, which range from $180 to $200 each.

The $400,000 from the CARES Act also will give each teacher a laptop. Other topics for discussion included ongoing building projects in the district. These include those at Nelson Elementary, Leclaire Elementary and Edwardsville High School, which are all on schedule. The gym reconstruction project at Lincoln Middle School will take longer than originally expected. Contractors are adding an additional 20 days ot the anticipated length of time to fix the flooring issues.

“The gym flooring that was in place, and the gym flooring that is being put in, there is about an inch and a half difference between the floors,” Courtney said.

In order to save on costs, as the project is already over budget, the school is looking to use a lesser-quality waterproofing membrane material. This would put it over budget by $25,000.