Eliminating all inkjet printers and moving to shared laser printers and networked copiers helped Judson ISD cut down on the physical amount of technology it used. Whereas each teacher previously had a printer in his or her classroom, Young said, small groups of teachers now share a central printer.
Young also automated computer shutdown for nearly all district computers.
“Ultimately, people leave computers on all of the time, and if you can get those turned off, you’ll be saving money,” he said.
Pushing student data to parents through the web, and using electronic forms instead of paper forms for business processes, has saved the district money as well.
For more advice on doing more with less, see:
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Judson ISD’s Green Computing Initiative is certified by CoSN’s Green Computing Leadership Initiative. The district’s desktop virtualization was funded with a 2006 bond issue.
“We knew at the elementary level that we needed to get more computers in the classroom and needed to increase computer access, but cost was a factor,” Young said. The district purchased 761 of NComputing’s X300 and X350 desktop virtualization kits, which added 2,283 additional computer seats.
Estimates show that a PC-only deployment would have cost the district $2.3 million, with a possible $775,220 in additional network equipment and growth. The X-series deployment, which virtualized district desktops, saved the district 50 percent and cost $1.1 million.
“Go green where you can to help trim your operating costs,” Young advised. “To go green in some ways takes a lot of capital outlay, so this may not be the time to take on some of those projects, but take a look and see what might work for your district.”
It’s also important to let others know about successful initiatives and projects, he said.
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