Does the title of this article sound familiar?Yes, it's time to change your Promethean projector bulbs again.
Just a year ago, the Board of Education approved a $202,300 expenditure for Promethean projector bulbs.
This coming Tuesday, September 13, the BOE will approve purchase of another $237,860 of Promethean projector bulbs from the usual vendor, Clinton Learning Solutions, LLC. As usual, there will be no discussion of this purchase, as it's on the consent agenda.
What is there to discuss? Other than making sure that MCPS is getting the best bid for the bulbs, what would you have the BOE do--not buy replacement bulbs? LCD bulbs are ridiculously expensive. My guess is that we get a better price by purchasing in quantity. What is the good of purchasing technology if we are not given the necessary maintenance supplies so we can continue to use the technology?
ReplyDeleteVicki E.
@ Vicki E - and how do you know if this is the best bid? What is the price per bulb that MCPS is paying? What were the bids?
ReplyDeleteThis is the exact same vendor that MCPS has been using since before this procurement was made public.
What is the good of purchasing technology? This purchase was never discussed by the Board of Education. MCPS staff just went shopping and signed a multi-million dollar lease without Board approval. Where's the evidence that Promethean Boards are a good purchase and a good use of Operating Budget funds?
As I said--discussion of bids would be appropriate and should certainly be done as should a discussion of the Promethean board purchases in the past that you refer to. However those boards have been purchased and as such, we who have them use them and need the necessary parts to maintain them. Without replacement bulbs, the original purchase would be a waste. The tone of the blog post is that the bulbs should not be purchased at all. Maybe that's not what the poster meant, but that's the way it comes off to the reader. I can say that my Promethean board has enabled me to do things in my classroom that should've been done all along but was unable to do. It also saves time that I can use to work with students. Heck! My 15 - 20 hours of weekly unpaid overtime may actually be reduced to 12 hours or so!
ReplyDeleteVicki E.