Smart Bond Initiative
- Passed by New York Voters in November of 2014.
- Awarded $2 Billion to all Schools based on enrollment and state aid formula.
- Broadalbin-Perth CSD’s Award is $1,385,510.
Rules for these use of these funds
6 categories
- Classroom Connectivity
- Classroom Technology
- Community Connection
- Pre-K Classroom Improvements
- Elimination of Temporary/Trailer Classrooms
- School Security and Safety
What you can’t do…
- You cannot pay salaries.
- You cannot pay for software.
- You cannot pay for professional development.
- You are expected to provide these, but you can’t pay for them from the Bond.
Step 1
- Administration works with the district’s architects to establish priorities in the approved categories.
- Consideration to
- Broadalbin-Perth Central Strategic Plan
- Broadalbin-Perth Central Technology Plan
- Building Condition Survey
Step 2
- Establish a Smart Bond Planning Committee to review these proposals.
- Membership must include:
- Students
- Staff
- Administrators
- Board of Education
- Parents
- Community
Broadalbin-Perth Central School’s Phase 1 Goals
During the two years the district waited for approval, some prices changed. An amendment is required to adjust the budget to reflect those changes.
- Begin replacing Classroom Interactive White Boards with Interactive Displays.
- Estimate $700,000
- Upgrade Network Infrastructure and Network Security
- Including
- File Servers
- Firewall Hardware
- Network Closet Hardware
- Estimate $225,000
- The district will also utilize Federal Category 2 Erate funding to supplement this item.
- The Federal Government will reimburse 70 cents of every dollar spent on networking up to $225,000.
- Combining Smart Schools and Erate means the district will accomplish nearly $1,535,000 in upgrades at no costs to the district.
- Including
- Upgrade Data Network Infrastructure by replacing outdated Cat 5 cables and installing OM4 Fiber optic cable.
- Estimate $155,000
- Replace analog classroom speakers with a digital Emergency Classroom Notification system
- Estimate $250,000
What happens to the rest of the money?
- The remaining Smart Schools Funds will continue to be available. The Smart Planning Committee must recommend their expenditure, but they are “evergreen.”
Next Steps
- The Smart Schools Committee met and has recommended that the Board of Education review this plan.
- Board of Education can accept the proposals as the preliminary plan.
- Smart Schools Investment Plan is then published on the school district web site with an email address for public comments for 30 days.
- At a public hearing attached to the Board of Ed Meeting August, the Board of Education can review any comments on the Smart Schools Investment Plan and the plan can be approved.
- Approved plan submitted to NYSED.
- The Plan then churns through NYSED for about 15 to 18 months.