A recent article posted online has left members of our community with a false impression of how and why the school district plans to invest in an integrated clock system for the entirety of the Ithaca City School District.
The article highlighted that “the Ithaca City School District plans to spend up to $500,000 to rent wall-mounted clocks over the next five years, along with ‘related borrowing fees.’” While this is partly true, clocks are only a piece of the overall system that the district plans to implement in every school building, and are not rented in the traditional sense. The plan includes updating an entire communication system, which includes clocks, an integrated public address (PA) system, a security system, and a bell system, which requires significant wiring infrastructure work. The estimated $500k will allow for hardware installation across 300 classrooms and 75 hallways, and the system will be used well beyond the five years of the agreement. The funds will also ensure all previously installed demo systems become fully functional.
The current communication system relies on components that were installed in the 1980s. As we modernize spaces, we need to ensure we are updating outdated infrastructure as well. Once the new system is implemented, the district will have a centralized method to broadcast emergency alerts and communicate with individual classrooms. It is important to acknowledge the number of teachers and staff members who have expressed their enthusiastic support for upgrading this system, as it is an essential part of enhancing building safety throughout the school district.
The article reiterates that the clocks would be “rented” without providing the necessary context. As is true with all of our technology equipment (e.g., Chromebooks), to receive the full state aid reimbursement rate of 45.3 percent, school districts enter into lease agreements to be paid over a certain period (in this case, five years). At the end of that period, the district can continue to use the equipment for as long as needed, and when it has reached the end of its useful life, it is returned to OCM BOCES to be recycled. This lease-to-own process is not unique to the Ithaca City School District and is the most efficient and cost-effective way for school districts to maximize their state aid.
The full Board of Education voted on the resolution to expedite the lengthy ordering, delivery, and installation process with hopes that the system can be installed and operational before the next school year. Upon ICSD Board approval of the resolution, the proposal still requires approval from both the OCM BOCES Board and the New York State Department of Education. Past ICSD boards have approved similar BOCES service agreement resolutions. It is also worth noting all three members of the ICSD Finance Committee were present at the Board meeting and voted in favor of the resolution.
The article also attempted to discredit the New York State reimbursement process by citing a “misuse of funds” by BOCES from nearly a decade ago. The cited source is an audit of the OCM BOCES Managed Technical Support in 2016 and involves errors in reporting their aidable expenditures to the State Education Department. This audit and its findings have nothing to do with the purchasing/leasing of equipment.
The school district makes every effort to be transparent. Every Board meeting is recorded and available on our website, along with summaries of the meetings. In addition, detailed agendas are available at least three days before each meeting on BoardDocs. For those with additional questions, please contact icsdcommunications@icsd.k12.ny.us or join us on Thursday, February 15, at the next Finance Committee meeting.
Glossary of acronyms:
BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services): a public organization created by the New York State Legislature in 1948 to provide shared educational programs and services to school districts.
COSER: Cooperative Service Agreement
OCM BOCES: Onondaga-Cortland-Tioga County Board of Cooperative Educational Services