By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
During the Hays USD 489 Board of Education meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Rockwell Administration Center, the board is set to vote on increasing internet speeds across the district.
The district’s internet service is provided by Eagle Communications, the parent company of Hays Post.
“Since we’re hitting our cap of 200Mbps this year, we’ve looked at adding additional bandwidth to avoid bottlenecks and continue to allow the technology integration of the classrooms to grow,” according to tonight’s agenda.
The board will vote on doubling internet speeds with a connection up to 400Mbps.
Doubling the speed would increase the cost to the district by $14,400 for the 2016-17 school year, with a total cost of $36,720 for the year.
That price, however, is a fraction of the total cost, as the district utilizes the E-Rate program, facilitated by the Universal Service Administration Company and funded through the FCC.
The E-Rate pays for 70 percent of the district’s internet cost.
The E-Rate would absorb $85,680 of the $122,400 total yearly cost if the speed is increased. The E-Rate currently covers $52,080 of the $74,400 yearly total.
Anticipating the need for the increase, Scott Summers, director of technology, told the board during its last work session he had already applied for the increase in order to receive the E-Rate.
“With the addition of 1:1 technology across the district this year, we experience daily hitting our cap of 200Mbps. This happens sometimes multiple times daily and sometimes for extended time periods of 30 minutes or more,” according to the agenda.
Summers said frequently hitting the peak causes frustration in the classrooms.
The board will also vote on student fees for the 2016-17 school year.
The administration has proposed keeping fees the same as this year, with the addition of a $25 Hays Middle School technology fee and a small meal cost increase.
Additional maintenance is expected if middle school students are allowed to take district-issued tablets home next year.
The fee would bring in approximately $15,075 for the district.
Lunch prices across the district would also increase by $.10. That increase is dictated by the state, according to Superintendent Dean Katt.
A link to the agenda can be found here.
Live video of the meeting will be available on this story via the USD 489 News Team.