With aging computers not being able to keep up with changes in technology, Coupeville school officials may look to the voters to foot the bill for an update.

The school board will hold a special meeting Monday, Nov. 9 to discuss the possibility of running a technology levy in February, 2010. That levy will replace the aging computers in the school district.

Superintendent Patty Page said that several options will be considered during the special meeting. Options currently under consideration are asking for a levy that will last two or four years, and for dollar amounts ranging from $200,000 to $300,000.

“We are putting together different scenarios for the tech levy,” Page said in a Thursday morning interview.

She said that 91 percent of the computers in operation in Coupeville schools are at least five years old, which is the oldest state recommends a school district should have.

School employees have made upgrades to the elderly computers; however, Page said that software has progressed to where the computers could crash if it’s installed.

The Coupeville School District received a number of computers several years ago courtesy of a Gates Grant. None of those computers went to the elementary school. Page added that grants funding technology purchases have largely dried up in recent years.

The school board is scheduled to discuss different scenarios during Monday night’s special meeting. Page said the school board will have to balance the school district’s needs with the realization that the district’s residents are enduring some difficult economic times.

School officials will also have to discuss a replacement schedule for the district’s computers and, just as important, how to fund them in the future. Page said that unless the state Legislature improves the funding doled out to schools, the school district may look at continue running technology levies to fund computer replacements.

Should the school district run a technology levy, it would go to the voters Feb. 9, which is the same day the school district will ask voters to renew its maintenance and operations levy.

The special school board meeting takes place Monday, Nov. 9, 6:30 p.m., in the Coupeville Elementary School Library.