Schools at the Standardized level of the Infrastructure Optimization Model have substantial technology integration and automation. Appropriate departments can share student and business information. The IT staff is no longer firefighting and is now centralizing the management of the IT infrastructure.

The Standardized infrastructure introduces controls through the use of standards and policies to manage desktops and servers; to control the way computers are introduced into the network; and by using Active Directory to manage resources, security policies, and access control. Organizations in a Standardized level have realized the value of basic standards and some policies, yet still have room to improve. Generally, all patches, software deployments, and desktop service are provided through medium touch with medium to high cost. They have a reasonable inventory of hardware and software and are beginning to manage licenses. Security measures are improved with a locked-down perimeter, but internal security may still be a risk.

School Challenges

At the Standardized level, schools benefit from technology integration and improved automation to address technical challenges.

Raising academic standards/lack of visibility into student progress
Teachers at the schools at this level have found tremendous results in providing Web-accessible document exchange portals. These institutions provide tools that teachers who have minimal technical expertise can use to update their classroom Web sites. School departments can also have easily maintainable Web sites. Secured accounts can be established for students and parents so that they can monitor ongoing student progress over the Internet. Resources such as virtual libraries give students, parents and teachers much more access than most schools would be able to provide in a physical school library. Instructional support tools including online science experiments, music, art, and language support tools are also available and manageable. The parent and student accounts and Internet infrastructure can also facilitate, "anytime, anyplace" learning.

Business management: Inefficient operations and a lack of insight into where money is spent
Most schools at this level value the integration of their student data management system, the business management systems, instructional management, and technology services. The integration of these systems allows business managers to track and report on the flow of resources from funding agencies to their expenditures. These systems reduce redundancy, and prevent erroneous and out-dated data from being maintained or used for analysis, and provide standard and customizable detailed reports.
The office staff uses integrated office communications systems that combine word processing, spreadsheet, e-mail, Internet, and phone systems. This infrastructure makes for efficient office management and communications between departments and allows reports to be rolled up to regional reports. In addition, interoffice employee management systems, such as Human Resource services, are accessible to all employees.

Communication and access to information for parents and students
Most schools at this level leverage their access to the Internet by using e-mail aliases to broadcast communications to parents. They also provide Web sites, which provide class announcements, supplementary instructional materials, and homework assignments. These Web sites are easily maintained even by non-technical classroom teachers. Students and parents are provided with secure access accounts so they can monitor the student's academic progress and attendance.

Curriculum and lesson sharing among educators
Many schools at this level provide Web-based tools with which educators can share best practices and references, post questions and answers, provide peer reviews of materials, and facilitate relationships between teachers internationally, which helps them better prepare their students for communications and exchanges with the international community. Recent increases in the usage of distant learning and teleconferencing facilitates teacher participation in peer discussions and training.

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Moving to Rationalized

By moving to a Rationalized IT infrastructure, organizations can improve their infrastructure and take control with automated systems management and automated identity and access management. At this level, IT staff can access tools and information efficiently, service-level agreements are linked to organizational objectives, and the organization can benefit from clearly defined and enforced images, heightened security, and reliable best practices.

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