SOLVING IT STAFFING CHALLENGES WITH MANAGED SERVICES

Historically, K–12 school systems have taken a “do-it-yourself” approach to deploying and managing their network infrastructure. This DIY model has served school systems well for many years. However, K–12 leaders are starting to rethink this method as they look for ways to solve for a shortage of IT talent. An emerging approach that is becoming more popular within K–12 education is managed network services. In this approach, school districts outsource the operation of their network to an experienced service provider. Rather than owning and maintaining network equipment themselves, they pay a monthly fee for network equipment and services as if these were a utility.

Managed services effectively enable school districts to augment their IT staff by leveraging a pool of talented professionals with years of experience across a broad range of technology domains. This eliminates the burden of attracting and retaining network specialists. Managed services also come with a fixed cost, making budgeting much easier and eliminating the unforeseen expenses associated with hardware failures and the need to replace outdated technology. Managed services involve a significant shift in mindset for K–12 leaders. Here are five “dos” and five “don’ts” to help leaders understand whether this model makes sense for their district and to ensure a successful implementation.