Technology decisions that affect the direction of the school should not be delegated in entirety to the IT department -->
A leader adds value to an enterprise, school included, by having a perspective that is all inclusive and holistic. Inasmuch as a leader is only as strong as the integrity of the information supplied him, in this case by an IT department head, his accountability to the purpose and vision of the enterprise, could very likely lead to a decision other than one made by the IT department exclusively. Surrendering the decision to IT means that business or education outcomes, profit or learning, respectively, could be compromised if the intentions of the IT department do not correspond well with overall enterprise goals. In an effort to satisfy the needs of a single unit or department, a separate system may be developed that clumsily communicates with the rest of the school; and ultimately, without the appropriate metrics being considered that affect the bottom line, unclear accountability can contribute to a disastrous slide. (Ross and Weill, 2002).
Enterprise Architecture = strategy + business + technology, (Scott, 2012) can serve school districts by reducing the likelihood of supporting redundant, overlapping, or unnecessary projects -->
As leader and change agent, I would have to first perform a comprehensive systems analysis, carefully noting the existing duplication. I would then have to communicate clearly to each of the different departments from teaching and learning, to back office, the degree of waste involved. Paying close attention to the expenses being absorbed, I would need to get a consensus that the status quo was unacceptable, looking for allies to support my cause. The next step would involve looking outward to like districts, in the effort of identifying best practices to guide the purchase and, or development of a more comprehensive system. Accepting the fact that a system that does too many things may not do any one perfectly, the alternative of having taxpayer funds serve a need other than clearly outlined in our school’s mission statement, is exceptionable.
Paying attention to the fifteen different roles of the Governance model, will direct smaller districts as to the specific areas of focus of education enterprise architecture -->
The fifteen different jobs to which the NASCIO Enterprise Architecture Tool-Kit refers would require immense work in order to justify the salaries that would accompany their existences. Districts pay a great deal of attention to the ratio of administrative salaries to the overall budget. Ignoring that reality invalidates searching for efficiencies. Combining roles, inevitably, is the only way to incorporate enterprise architecture into smaller entities. In full, as daunting as the list of roles may seem to a small school district, it does make it clear that there are distinct responsibilities to be carried out with fidelity if the enterprise architecture is to be effective.