DIAMOND, MO.--- Supplies commonly associated with schools and education are slowly becoming obsolete.
"Here in the very near future, it's going to go to computer-based testing where all students will test online," says Dr. Trish Wilson, Diamond Schools Superintendent.
Missouri school districts will be required to use computer-based assessments by the 2014-15 school year.
"Kids are more technologically advanced than most adults. So they have probably been expecting this, but more than that, welcoming it for quite some time," says Brent Jordan, Middle School Counselor.
Administrators say ditching the old pen and paper in favor of a mouse and monitor could have a positive effect on students test scores.
"I think there's some dread among kids as far as the state assessments go and there's some anxiety involved. But when you throw away the paper and throw away the pencil and put them in front of a computer screen, now it's fun, now it's okay, I can do this," says Jordan.
School administrators have already begun preparing for the new format.
"One thing that we are going to have to do for sure is to upgrade our infrastructure, including adding servers to be able to accommodate all this testing. We're going to have to increase our bandwidth," says Dr. Wilson.
Dr. Wilson also estimates the Diamond School District will need 2 new computer labs, centralized servers, and more IT personnel.
"That will be a huge cost up front, but in the long run, it would pay off. So that is something we are looking at and that's $40,000 to $50,000 up front," says Dr. Wilson.
The district will have to foot the bill.
"I'm not aware of any grants, but obviously it's an expectation from our state department and we're going to have to find district funds somewhere to make this happen," says Dr. Wilson.
School administrators say they plan to begin looking at the budget this year and hope to be able to begin work on the new labs in the upcoming school year.
