EAE is not a technology issue. It's about providing equal access to required educational tools, saving taxpayer money, and stopping software piracy (stealing) just to do homework.

It's a community issue.

Who?

Ever growing number of students, adults, and citizens concerned about quality education, ethical liability, and tax money

What?

Proposal to make OpenOffice.org the school district's official office suite

Why?

Many students either don't have office suite software used for homework or have stolen it. EAE improves education, saves taxpayer money, without re-learning what people already know!

More?

Contact us! for FREE and legal software installation CDs or check local businesses for our display/CDs

A simple agenda. Quick to implement and use. EAE benefits everybody in the district, whether you use a computer or not.

1. Save taxpayer money that can be better used elsewhere.
2. Provide every student, teacher, family, and district resident with the same up-to-date version of a world-class office suite, no matter what your income level, or brand of computer.
3. Stop illegal pirating (stealing) of office suite software just to do required homework.
4. Tell your friends, family, and school board: Let's implement EAE now.

Calling this a technology issue implies changing the technology used. We are not advocating nor proposing that. Let's continue to use the computers currently in use. Let's continue to use such generic and non-branded terms such "open file" and "search and replace" and "save as" and "print" and hundreds of commands generic to office suites and computers. Let's use everything we've already learned and continue to move forward.

People change brands of paper, pencils, or calculators without calling it a "technology issue." People also change brands of office suites just as transparently. Think of knowing how to use an office suite like a driver's license. The license is not for one brand or model of car, it's for a whole classification of vehicles. Changing office suite is as transferable and simple as changing brand of automobile. If you know how to use Microsoft Office, you already know how to use OpenOffice.org. It's that simple. It's that fast. If you don't believe this, then try OpenOffice.org for yourself.

Education is not about memorizing keystrokes specific to one brand or manufacturer. Program names, brands, and functions have not stayed static over the last 5, 15, or 30 years. They won't in the future either.

It's free. You can either install it on your computer or run it directly off of a CD that does not require installation. Contact us for details if you have questions.

A Minneapolis Star-Tribune article from June 12, 2006, - Minnesota next to last in education high-tech - summarizes the challenges Minnesota schools face and how we are next to last in implementing technology in our schools. The importance: Future employment depends on teaching / learning these skills. The problem: Not enough money to get the job done. The opportunity: Making OpenOffice.org the official district office suite frees up money that can be better spent elsewhere, which gives a competitive advantage in this age of open enrollment.

The EAE ("Equal Access Education") project looks to promote saving taxpayers money and providing equal access to educational tools required for students and the entire district. EAE provides every student, teacher, staff, and resident with these tools and makes sure everybody has the latest, most recent version. It embraces world-class standards, features, and compatibility required, but currently paid for. It is free for everyone, including the district, and compatible with different modern computer operating systems (Microsoft, Apple, Linux, etc).

It's called OpenOffice.org

Massachusetts has implemented this format as the standard in all state offices and agencies. More and more school districts around the United States, England, and the world are also following this path. Major corporations such as IBM, Oracle, and countless others are following the open source model set by this software and its developers.

OpenOffice.org brings with it a competitive edge. Everybody has the same legal, free software at home and at school and can exchange all documents no matter if the computer runs Apple OSx, Windows, or Linux. Everybody has equal access to these necessary educational tools while the district stops the endless cycle of paying for software upgrades and license fees. No charge to individuals or the district.

Office suite software is commonly used in classes such as English, Science, Business, and others. Our plan makes this standard a key component for the district and its enrollment goals by making it free for everyone.

Our plan frees up money (approximately $50 - $70 per district computer) previously budgeted for licenses and upgrades. This can provide an edge and give students options that they do not currently have. It gives them the ability to easily transfer files from school to home and back, no matter if they have a Microsoft, Apple, Linux, or nearly any other computer. This software runs on a $50 computer (fully loaded with legal software) as we have demonstrated.

Promoting one district standard shows that a district cares about providing every student, teacher, and district classroom with equal access to educational tools. We will do this by providing a legal alternative, while increasing performance, and saving the district money.