Leggett recommends delaying additional purchases until concerns about vendor are addressed
A memo obtained by the Parents' Coalition reveals that County Executive Leggett is urging the County Council to consider the financial condition of Promethean World before funding additional purchases of their products. Promethean World is the predominate supplier of interactive whiteboards to MCPS.
Leggett wrote that he supports expanding technological resources to all MCPS classrooms, but questioned whether Promethean World can survive in light of their rapidly declining financial condition.
"While Promethean World reported adequate fund balances to cover their shorter term losses, they alerted their investors to the long-range nature of their financial problems," wrote Leggett.
Leggett also stated in the memo that he is concerned about the proprietary nature of Promethean products.
"The Promethean Board technology is proprietary and alternative means of providing the whiteboard service to classrooms if the company were to go out of business would require investment in alternative hardware and software," wrote Leggett. "I am concerned that MCPS' investment of taxpayer dollars into these whiteboards may not be viable or sustainable in the long term due to the company's significant and, by the company's own assessment, long-term, financial difficulties."
The memo gave no deadline for making the determination of whether or not to proceed with purchase of Promethean products or to switch to products from a more stable company.
Memo from County Executive Leggett expressing concerns about Promethean's financial condition
Did you get a copy of the "attachment" referenced in the Executive's memo (i.e., the Board of Education request)?
ReplyDeleteYes. The entire document can be found here:
ReplyDeletehttp://montgomerycountymd.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?meta_id=42500&view=&showpdf=1
From the BOE minutes:
ReplyDeleteWHEREAS, When the County Council approved the Technology Modernization
Program in the Fiscal Year 2013–2018 Capital Improvements Program and the Fiscal
Year 2013 Capital Budget, the federal Education Rate funds were assumed to be an
additional source of funding for the Technology Modernization Program in Fiscal Years
2013 and 2014 and that the Board would request a supplemental appropriation to
expend these funds; and
WHEREAS, Federal Education Rate funds in the amount of $2,042,000 are available as
Fiscal Year 2013 appropriation to provide the additional funding necessary to roll out
Promethean interactive technology across all elementary schools and to implement
wireless networks across all schools; now therefore be it
Resolved, That the Board of Education approves the purchase of Promethean
interactive classroom technology systems (pursuant to the state of Maryland contract
050B7800023) at a total cost of $8,949,719; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board of Education finances this purchase of Promethean
interactive classroom technology for a five-year period ($1,789,944 per year for Fiscal
Years 2013–2017) with Dell Financial Services L.L.C.; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board of Education approves the purchase of Cisco wireless
networking equipment, software, and services (pursuant to a Montgomery County
Public Schools Request for Proposal, #7067.4) at a total cost of $5,591,758; and be it
further Resolved, That the Board of Education finances the purchase of Cisco wireless
networking equipment, software, and services for a five-year period ($1,118,352 per
year for Fiscal Years 2013–2017) with Banc of America; and be it further
Resolved, That the Board of Education requests a Fiscal Year 2013 supplemental
appropriation in the amount of $2,042,000 to expand federal Education Rate funds
received in Fiscal Year 2013 to support implementation of these essential technology
infrastructure priority improvements; and be it further
Resolved, That the purchase of the equipment is dependent on County Council
approval of the supplemental appropriation; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the county executive and the
County Council.
I strongly urge this district to not purchase the Promethean boards. Making a large investment--with taxpayer money--in a failing company is a very bad idea.
ReplyDelete