DOLLARS AND SENSE: Where are dollars in the K-12 market? According to MDR’s State of the K-12 Market 2015 survey, 46 percent of districts expect instructional budgets to stay the same, while another 22 percent think it will increase by “a little” or “a lot.” In 2015, 46 percent of districts reported a larger budget for hardware, and 27 percent for software. Over half (54 percent) of districts administered summative assessments for core subjects online.
Technology tools on the rise include Chromebooks, which “have outpaced tablets and are quickly becoming the go-to device for mobile learning.” Forty-nine percent of districts cite these devices as a “high priority” for tech implementation. And LMS’s have been installed in 48 percent of districts—up from 33 percent in 2011. But seller beware: eight out of 10 districts in the survey now demand to see a company’s security and privacy policies in the contract.
