Title: Shaping the Future of Education Technology: Insight Financial Services' Innovative Approach

Navigating Trends, Challenges, and Solutions in the EdTech Landscape

In an era where technology is reshaping the education landscape, Insight Financial Services (IFS) stands out as a trailblazing partner for educational institutions seeking to harness the power of EdTech. The EdTech team at IFS is leading the way by crafting predictable, sustainable and forward-thinking plans for K-12 and Higher Education technology equipment and budgets. 

In this article, we delve into their visionary strategies, address current challenges, and explore their unique offerings that give them a competitive edge.

The trends in Education Technology are evolving rapidly, driven in part by the lessons learned over the past 5 years. According to IFS, the proliferation of devices in education will continue to be a central pillar of teaching and learning.  Adoption of technology in classrooms and homes continues to accelerate and become the norm, resulting in an imminent and ongoing need for equipment refresh. 

“We are dedicated to the education market, everything we do is focused on partnering with schools to create customized programs by taking the time to understand how our program can enhance teaching and learning.” Colleen O’Donnell, Sr. Vice President - Education, Insight Financial Services.

Insight Financial Services anticipates several key trends that will continue to shape the EdTech landscape:

Device-Centric Education: Devices will remain central to education, enabling seamless learning experiences in the classroom and at home. With existing equipment nearing the end of its useful life, a timely refresh becomes essential for maintaining a thriving EdTech ecosystem. It’s important that school technology and business leaders work together to prepare for ongoing replacement cycles.  These device lifecycles should be set up to fit technology, budgets, students, and teachers.

Holistic Device Lifecycle Approach: Traditional strategies of acquiring technology and hoping for longevity are being replaced by a more holistic approach. IFS advocates for a complete lifecycle perspective, encompassing device acquisition, use, maintenance, and eventual refresh.

Technology Equity: Ensuring technology equity is of utmost importance, where every student and school building should have access to the same level of equipment, even at home, bridging the digital divide.

“What we’re very excited about, is doing our small part to maintain, promote and enhance digital equity for all student in K12 and Higher Education.” Jake Howard, Account Executive, Insight Financial Services.

Addressing Hurdles Through Strategic Leasing

Implementing technology initiatives in the realm of EdTech comes with a multitude of challenges for leaders in the field. These hurdles encompass various aspects such as bulk upfront purchases, where the need to acquire all essential equipment at once demands substantial initial payments that might strain school budgets. The issue of unpredictable budgeting arises, as the necessity for periodic significant expenditures disrupts financial planning and introduces funding unpredictability. 

Adding to these complexities is the task of equipment disposal, presenting a logistical conundrum for school districts, often constrained by limited IT staff and tight timeframes for executing equipment refreshes.

“By putting our devices on a lease program, we have very predictable funding available for the equipment year over year.  We do not have to go searching for funding and by putting the equipment on a lease program, we have new equipment every 3-4 years, which has enabled my staff to run and support newer applications.  When devices get old, parts are unavailable, performance suffers, and become unusable.” Najeeb Qasimi, IT Director, Oak Grove School District.

Esports: A Gateway to Innovation

IFS's approach to leasing extends to the rapidly expanding world of esports. With a focus on short-term leasing, schools can acquire and refresh esports equipment while adhering to predictable expenses. 

Esports has emerged as a powerful tool to engage students and create competitive opportunities for school teams. By providing the most up-to-date equipment and refreshing it regularly, IFS helps schools stay at the forefront of Esports, attracting new talent and gaining a competitive edge. 

IFS worked with McAllen ISD to provide a leasing strategy that would enable the district to acquire all the necessary gaming equipment. Alienware gaming computers, screens, and headsets were wrapped into a customized three-year lease on all the district’s esports equipment. The shorter refresh cycle gives the teams a competitive advantage with consistent new technology.

“Our ongoing work with McAllen ISD and our expertise in technology equipment leasing, made it a natural fit for us to also support the new esports program. We worked with the IT team to understand the district’s esports technology needs and created a unique leasing solution that would keep them at the top of their game. Speed is non-negotiable when it comes to esports, so refreshing their equipment every three years will make sure they have the fastest gaming gear available. We were thrilled to be part of this exciting new program.” Kyle Singer, Account Executive, Insight Financial Services

IFS has been working with Seton Hill for 12 years, providing technology leasing to support its 1-1 technology program for all students, staff, and teacher devices. During their annual planning meeting, IFS raised the idea of adding an esports program to their lease cycle. This approach would help the school to make the most of its budget, while creating a sustainable refresh cycle. That would mean they could predictably acquire the current gaming technology needed for the program to flourish.  Based on technology and equipment requirements, IFS proposed a 3-year lease, which lined up perfectly with their warranty period. Keeping a 3-year lifecycle eliminates costs of repairs, creates opportunities to update to the latest technology and keeps the Esports program attractive to new recruits. As Esports is a new endeavor that is heavily reliant on high performance technology, the finance and IT teams agreed that leasing would be the optimal solution.

“With our expertise in technology equipment leasing and our longstanding relationship, we were able to support the new e-sports program easily and effectively. We worked with the Seton Hill Finance and IT teams to understand and create the best plan with a unique leasing solution that sets the program up for success from the start. Esports is catching on at universities across the country and we are excited to be part of these exciting new programs.” Michelle Hallis, Vice President, Insight Financial Services.

Looking Towards the Future

The future holds exciting prospects for Insight Financial Services, as the EdTech team grows and expands its footprint in the Midwest and Northeast. IFS is opening a new tech center in Jacksonville, FL, complementing its facility in Albuquerque, NM. Additionally, the company will continue to enhance the AMOS system based on valuable client feedback, setting new standards for lease assets and contract management.

"At Insight Financial Services, we believe in the immense potential of EdTech to revolutionize learning experiences. Our dedicated team of technology leasing and lifecycle management experts is committed to understanding the unique challenges faced by educational institutions and providing thoughtful solutions. With a focus on transparency, fair contracts, and full lifecycle support, we are paving the way for schools to embrace the future confidently.” - Andy Hashimoto, Vice President, Insight Financial Services.

"We take pride in our one-stop shop approach to technology leasing, tailored specifically for our valued education clients. At IFS, we understand clients have diverse and unique needs, ranging from devices and infrastructure to multifunction printers and modern classroom technology. Our platform, designed to be brand and asset agnostic, empowers us to deliver highly customized outcomes for each individual client and project.” – Sean Fisher, Account Executive, Insight Financial Services