IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

Preparing K-12 and higher education IT leaders for the exponential era

Opinion: Rochester Schools Tax Levy for Tech Would Help Teachers, Too

Rochester Public Schools in Minnesota is asking voters to approve a tax levy for technology, which will indirectly support higher wages for teachers by freeing up some of the district's money for other expenses.

(TNS) — Dear Answer Man: Most people recognize that school teachers deserve a raise in their new contract and some of the messaging from the school district is that the technology referendum will allow the district to provide higher raises for teachers. It does beg the question, why aren't they asking for a referendum for teacher raises vs the technology? — Always a skeptic

Dear Skeptic,

I'm surprised you even managed to submit your question before someone from the school district force fed you a 10-point presentation about the merits of the plan. They've been everywhere lately.

Superintendent Kent Pekel is scheduled to host multiple information sessions about the proposal. The district has reached out directly to the media about its plans. The number of booths dedicated to educating the public about the referendum is near the point of rivaling Starbucks' cliché of having a shop on every corner.

I assume you were doing your best to avoid the onslaught of district marketing so you could get the answer straight from the man himself ... which is me, of course. Answer Man.

With that, let me try to answer your question.

I suppose the best way to sum it up is that a rising tide lifts all boats. Let me explain: Yes, Rochester Public Schools is asking voters to approve a levy for technology — not to support higher wages for teachers. However, at the end of the day, it all equals more money for the school district, so the one will still indirectly support the other.

As RPS officials are fond of saying, the district already spends a lot of money on technology — to the tune of $7 million, in fact. So, even though the proposed levy would bring in $10 million a year for technology, that money would free up resources the district already spends on technology.

That's why the Rochester Education Association (which is the teachers union for the city's public schools) has been so vocal about supporting the referendum. The teachers understand that voters passing the technology levy is an important precondition for them receiving the higher wages they're asking for in negotiations with the district.

Putting the issue of supporting the district's teachers aside for a moment, there's also the simple fact that RPS does need money for technology.

The ransomware attack on the district this past spring demonstrated that more than anything.

Even if you argue that the cyber attack was an isolated incident, technology is becoming more and more ingrained into the backbone of the district's operations, from security cameras in the buildings to new devices for teachers.

After all, how do you expect RPS to support its growing army of robot floor cleaners without a dedicated funding source for all things futuristic?

The bottom line is that it's more of a "both and" instead of an "either or" situation. So, at the end of the day, remember this: You can argue the district should be able to make due with the resources it has. But don't assume that a vote for the technology levy is just a vote for the robots. It's also for the teachers.

©2023 the Post-Bulletin. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Sign Up Today

Don't miss a headline and stay on top of the latest EdTech trends.