A school in South Florida recently completed a one-hour review of its technology tools. The findings were surprising. The school discovered duplicate software, unused subscriptions, and manual processes that were consuming hundreds of staff hours every year. By reorganizing their systems, they redirected funds toward classroom technology and campus improvements.
Here are the three most common areas where schools lose money and how to address them.
Money Issue 1: Too Many Communication Platforms
Schools often rely on several communication tools at once. These may include email, messaging apps, shared drives, classroom tools, SIS communication modules, and more. When information is scattered, staff spend unnecessary time searching for documents or past messages.
The solution is to define one tool for each type of communication.
- Urgent matters should be handled by phone.
- Internal team discussions should take place in a single approved platform.
- Parent and student communication should be limited to the SIS or LMS.
- IT support should use a help desk system.
This approach reduces confusion and recovers hours of staff time every week.
Money Issue 2: Systems That Do Not Integrate
A single update may require entering the same information into the SIS, accounting system, enrollment platform, HR system, and external applications. Manual data entry increases errors and slows everyone down.
Modern automation can connect these systems. Enrollment, onboarding, device assignments, and other processes can now be automated in minutes rather than hours. Schools that adopt integrated workflows often recover hundreds of administrative hours annually.
Money Issue 3: Paying for Tools That Are No Longer Used
Many schools pay for subscriptions they no longer need. These may include unused classroom apps, trial software that renewed automatically, outdated storage tools, and duplicate communication platforms.
A simple review can identify unnecessary expenses.
- Examine the last three months of statements.
- List every recurring technology charge.
- Remove any subscription that has not been used recently or overlaps with existing tools.
Schools routinely save several thousand dollars a year by removing unused systems.
The Impact
Even modest improvements in these three areas can save tens of thousands of dollars annually. These savings can be reinvested in instructional technology, teacher development, network upgrades, cybersecurity improvements, or campus expansion.
You do not need a major overhaul to reclaim this funding. A focused review and a few strategic decisions can make a lasting financial impact.
If you would like assistance evaluating your school’s technology spending, our team can provide a guided audit and practical recommendations tailored to your campus.
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