I'm going to reply to my own post, to basically second what's being shouted over and over. Teachers.

We're 90% Mac, running 10.4.11 (with a few 10.5.5 *ehem*) and as easy as Macs are to use, we still spend over a week each summer training our teachers in the BASICS. I'll get calls every day, clear to the next summer, with teachers wanting to do the most simple tasks. This is not a critique on their skills as teachers, not at all, but many of them simply do not GET computers. There are days I feel, that it is likely that they never will.

So when presenting to your school board, also stress that it'll be all for naught without competent teachers, to teach the teachers. I lucked out, as one of our most excellent regular classroom teachers is also in love with technology, and helps our department with training each year. Don't know where we'd be without someone like her. Likely dusting off the computer labs.

I work at a small and fairly wealthy rural ISD, a far cry from a struggling inner-city operation, but one of the best things you can do is get to know your school board. Their meetings are open to the public, and often have plenty of time for Q&A. Calling ahead can land you a slotted time to make a presentation. Convince them of the need for technology, and if you can stress the actual VALUE short and long term, you may be surprised at their willingness to budget for this sort of thing.