Outsourcing Leasing hardware and hiring support personnel through outside service contracts may be cost-effective options for dealing with many support and obsolescence issues. It may be easier to budget for a leasing agreement that includes support than to set up a district support team. Gerald Lauber suggests that schools consider leasing as a strategy for keeping up-to-date technology in their classrooms. He claims that his New York school district saved millions of dollars by leasing computers, software, and consultants. 15 The considerations for leasing are different than those for purchasing. You shouldn't worry about finding hardware that is likely to be useful five years down the road—no hardware may actually be able to live up to this projection. Instead, look for contracts that provide computers powerful enough to run the software necessary to meet your curricular goals and replacement schedules with some flexibility for the future. It is important to know exactly what you need before entering a leasing agreement—software, hardware, peripherals, and support. Leasing has drawbacks, as well. Will leased equipment continue to be compatible with the school or district's infrastructure? How much maintenance does the leasing contract include and what hidden costs might surface? Make sure changes in personnel at the leasing agency do not disrupt your service. Get all specific agreements written into your contract; do not depend on verbal agreements from representatives who may never be responsible for your actual service. Recommendations for school districts considering leasing 16 Recommendations for school districts considering hiring a technology consultant 17 Compare prices Purchase a service agreement that prevents downtime Do not allow your staff to repair leased equipment Specify terms to upgrade equipment Lauber recommends leasing from a single vendor, "When something goes wrong, the different vendors are likely to blame each other for the problems, creating delays that deprive the kids of access to the technology." 18 Choose a consultant who is not tied to a single vendor Get references from the last three of the consultants' jobs to determine whether the consultant is easy to work with will satisfy the specific needs of your school or district will save you money is likely to finish the job and finish it on time Make sure the consultant's responsibilities are clearly defined