February 2003 — Industry Perspective
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School Printing Budgets Show Their True Colors
Printer Considerations
School districts that have recently gone through this process may be able to provide insight as to the issues and considerations that led them to implement a new collection of printers to address many of the points raised here.
One K-12 school district needed to update its printer technology, because the district was still using dot matrix printers throughout its schools. In this case, the district chose to integrate a network-ready monochrome laser printer. These printers were selected for their low initial acquisition cost, integrated network print server and low long-term operating costs. The printer selected was deployed in administrative offices and classrooms.
In another K-12 school district, the individual schools and users were given the choice of either ink jet, monochrome laser or color laser printers. Although the decision for which type of printer was left up to the users, the percentage of laser printers selected shifted in favor of ink jet printers. Among the reasons cited for this shift were the lower long-term operating cost and the ability to easily share the printers over the network.
Technology coordinators may want to take the experiences of these other school districts into account and consider how it applies to their own situation. The issues schools need to consider when choosing the printer technology that is best for them include:
- How much total printing is done on a monthly basis?
- Which operating environment(s) are used? Is there a mixed-platform user environment of PCs and Macs?
- What is the realistic cost per page of operating the device?
- What percentage of the monthly output is in color?
- Are classrooms networked? Is there a single network throughout the building, or is the network departmental?
- Is there a single printer-per-user workstation, or can a printer be shared?
- Are controlling output costs and reining in operating expenses a big priority?
Just as the traditional idea of a classroom with rows of students facing a chalkboard has changed, so has the technology being used in it. Today, educators are taking huge steps forward by harnessing and integrating the power of technology to create the most effective learning environment possible. Selecting the right choice to meet a school district's classroom and administrative printing needs requires doing some homework. Making the wrong choice can have an unforeseen, and often unwanted, impact on the long-term operating budget. Conversely, valuating needs, comparing the various technology choices available, as well as considering the pros and cons of various technology options can yield significant operating and productivity advantages for years to come.
By Jeff Sandler
(JeffreySandler@brother.com)
Senior Product Manager for Printers
Brother International Corp.
Contact Information
Brother International Corp.
Bridgewater, NJ
(800) 276-7746
www.brother.com
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