Factors That Influence Cost: Support and Maintenance Support personnel. This is one of the largest ongoing costs of any initiative. Do you have one support person per school or per district? Having few support personnel results in longer equipment downtime, but schools have difficulty matching the salaries support personnel receive in the private sector. Maintenance plans. Hardware often comes with a variety of service options. What items are covered and for how long? Will you need to extend the basic service? Could money spent on limited maintenance plans be better used for additional support personnel? Leasing vs. purchasing. While schools may purchase equipment outright, leasing hardware may be a better option for combating rapid obsolescence of digital technology. Leasing options are available for hardware other than computers, such as copying machines and printers. Taking Care of Business This school story is based on the experience of a real school. Choose the download option that best fits your connection. Slow modem (Text and graphics only) Flash presentation with audio (requires Flash plug-in)