Achieving full cloud implementation is a far more cost-efficient IT option for small private and parochial schools, but many administrators are unsure of where to begin the process — or where to stop. Our step-by-step guide will help to put you on the right path.

More and more small private schools are making the leap towards entirely cloud-based IT systems, and it isn’t difficult to see why. Cloud computing eliminates the hassle of maintaining and updating obsolete on-premises infrastructure, while also creating a more open, easy-to-access network for students and staff. In addition, switching over to the cloud puts the onus of system maintenance on a third-party provider — your school can reap the benefits of a connected system with none of the headaches involved in updating and storage.

Aside from these clear benefits, recent changes to the way that federal funds are distributed may make the move to the cloud an imperative for many schools. Since the popular E-Rate program will no longer support the purchase of new physical infrastructure like servers and routers, these small schools find themselves at an impasse. They can either shore up support from their donor base to keep outdated, on-premises systems running, or choose the more affordable, efficient option: migrating to the cloud.

But while maintaining normal operations in the cloud is simple, the planning and implementation process isn’t quite as easy. Before setting out to migrate their operations, schools must lay out a high-level, three-to-five year plan that will address the three areas of cloud operations: infrastructure, end-user devices/applications, and remote support. At the end of the planning stage, your school will end up with a flexible, cost-effective system that can shift according to changing budgetary restrictions and student needs.

Before you begin the planning process, however, it’s important that you make clear to stakeholders at your school how the cloud fits into day-to-day operations and outline its various advantages for students, teachers, and administrators in order to get important stakeholders on-board with your decision to move to the cloud.

The Advantages of the Cloud, from Servers to Support

The arrival of cloud-based infrastructure has eliminated the need for a DIY approach to educational IT. Updating and licensing hardware will always be current; maintenance costs are already built into the rental rate for cloud space; storage space can be adjusted quickly; and chances of a server outage are significantly reduced. This is tremendous news for small schools whose IT staff is typically made up of one or two employees, or a few parent or parishioner volunteers with little professional experience in enterprise IT.

Accompanying this dynamic infrastructure are cloud-based applications, updated frequently and automatically with a single, upfront price — and many of them are even 100% free. App-enabled devices make access to the cloud even more seamless. For example, Google Chromebooks host a suite of cloud-based productivity and classroom collaboration apps. While the Chromebook hardware must be updated every 3-5 years, the software will always be automatically updated at no extra cost. The result is a consistent user experience that is easy for both teachers and students to latch onto.

Finally, you can augment your cloud-based environment with the help of a remote support system. Virtual CTOs/CIOs can be assigned to your school to address any tech-related issues and help you plan for future projects, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Remote tech support will considerably mitigate the costly disruptions that occur when schools aren’t vigilant about monitoring their network. With that 24/7 assistance, your school’s IT problems can be addressed in real time, not after it’s too late.

Reviewing Your Needs

After gaining an understanding of the various aspects of any cloud-based IT system and their respective advantages, it’s time to get to the drawing board. But who should be a part of these preliminary planning conversations? Consult the school system’s key stakeholders, like educators, students, parents, and principals, to incorporate their desires and needs into your plan.

After gathering all relevant insights, your school must realistically assess its current situation. SWOT analysis, an assessment framework that asks you to identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, is a highly effective method for these purposes.

The first step of SWOT analysis is to outline the pre-existing internal factors that could potentially facilitate or hinder your cloud implementation process. These include your financial resources, such as funding, grants, and a PTO or PTA; your school’s physical resources, such as campus location, new buildings, current technology and equipment, and current infrastructure; your staff, vendors, PTO, volunteers, and students; and finally, the IT structure you currently have in place.

The second step of SWOT entails monitoring and accounting for external forces beyond your school’s control. Whether an opportunity or a threat, it’s important to take note of this array of outside factors. These can include educational trends, like changing school funding initiatives (such as E-Rate rules) and the cost of technology; recent trends in popular tech usage, such as software, devices, and parent/student expectations; market trends, such as charter schools, online schools, and homeschooling; and finally, any potential change in student or staff demographics.

Creating Your Plan

After you’ve completed your SWOT analysis and spoken to stakeholders, it’s time to come up with a comprehensive, 3-5 year implementation plan that will guide your migration process. First, summarize the timeline and end goal into a single sentence that will guide you through the planning stages: for instance, you may hope to achieve 90% passing grades in your school on a national exam, or enable digital learning techniques in 100% of your classrooms.

While concretizing a big picture goal is important, it’s also crucial to establish manageable chunks by which you can measure progress. For each year, break down your larger goal into achievable tasks, taking into account budgetary concerns and looming changes to school policy.

For example, a three-year plan can be mapped out onto a chart with a column for the following categories: instructional strategy, end-user computing, district infrastructure, and professional development. Each category will have space for identifying key initiatives and specific measures of success. Keeping this three-year plan in mind, a school can devise one-year plans with the same categories. Quarterly plans would feature actionable goals and the individuals or teams responsible for carrying out each measure.

In this scenario, year-long goals for the “Instructional Strategy” could include the implementation of one student-centered instruction strategy per educational unit, and a quarter-long goal for “Instructional Strategy” could be a multi-purpose tech room orientation.

With a plan like this in place, the complicated switch to a cloud-based IT system becomes all the more feasible. After three to five years of vigilantly tracking progress, your school will be officially connected — and prepared for the future.