BOND AND MILL LEVY TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS

The passage of the 2008 bond and mill levy election measures provided funds for districtwide technology projects and instructional technology. These technology improvements will serve as the foundation for 21st century learning for students and staff.

The bond is funding five key technology projects:

  • Technology equipment renewal (primarily new computers) on a 7-year replacement cycle at every school and site in APS
  • Technology upgrades at charter schools
  • Wide Area Network upgrades to convert APS from a radio-based to a fiber-based, high-speed network
  • Districtwide phone system upgrade and conversion to voice-over IP technology
  • Upgrades to convert network from the Novell operating system to Microsoft and an integration of the HR, Finance, Maintenance and Instructional applications to support a common operating and reporting platform

For more information on bond projects, visit bond.aurorak12.org

The mill levy provides funds for classroom instructional technology.

These funds are distributed through a grant process—the 21st Century Classrooms for Teaching and Learning Initiative. Through the grant process, all schools are eligible to submit up to two proposals for classroom technology that support each site’s School Improvement Plan. The process allows either individual teachers or teacher teams to apply for funds for classroom technology tools.

Grant possibilities range from teaching tools such as projectors and personal response systems (clickers) to Promethean interactive white board systems to student learning tools such as iPods and Netbooks (mini-computers).

Another project that is partially funded with mill levy dollars is a Fiber-Optic Network project to provide faster, more reliable network connections for most schools and sites. The U.S. government reimburses 75 percent of the project cost via E-Rate grants, and the funds go back into instructional technology.

Information about mill levy projects can be found at http://aurorak12.org/about-aps/mill-levy/.

NOTE: Despite 2010 state reductions to the APS budget, these projects, programs and initiatives will continue to be fully funded using bond and mill override revenues, and they will not be reduced or cut as part of budget development.  This is critical because we made a promise to our voters who supported the mill in 2008 and we have to keep our word.