Highland School Board met on March 12. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

The Highland School District will be saving nearly $30,000 a year with a new technology support service provider.

Superintendent Dr. Mike Jorgensen says he has been researching the issue of discontinuing the district’s partnership with Iowa Solutions. Jorgensen says though Iowa Solutions has provided excellent service, he thinks the district has been paying through the nose, about $100,000 for two and a half days of service per week.

Jorgensen said the Grant Wood Area Education Agency gave a proposal, “The AEA will provide us with a full-time technician at a rate of $6,000 a month which is equivalent to $72,000 a year, so that’s a no brainer. So you’re looking at $100,000 for two and a half days versus $72,000 for a full-time person.”

School board member Megan Allen asked if the district would have to change from having Google classrooms, to which Jorgensen said no. The school board approved the contract with Grant Wood AEA for the 2018-2019 school year.