Online ELL program good deal for district

Assistant Superintendent Tyler Bridges is encouraged by the success the district is having with the web-based software purchased last year to assist with its English Language Learner (ELL) program. And he’s also pleased about the fact that its cost is considerably less than other academic software the district uses.
Software and applications for commercial purposes and for use in school settings are normally sold on a recurring fee basis, Bridges explained. Discounts are often extended to schools, but it can still be quite costly. As an example he pointed to is the district’s use of Star reading and math software.
“It’s well worth the price to us,” said Bridges, “but the license for the Star program is $50,000 to $60,000 per year.” But the cost for the ELL program the district purchased is a one-time fee of $119,000, he said.