Preventive Maintenance in K-12 Schools: Strategies & Tips

July 31, 2023

Maintaining school devices is an essential part of ensuring a conducive learning environment for students. Routine maintenance plays a vital role in preserving the longevity and functionality of these assets.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of preventive maintenance in schools, with a primary focus on device repair. We’ll also discuss effective strategies and tips for extending the lifespan of student devices, ultimately optimizing the school’s technology assets.

Importance of Preventative Maintenance in School Districts 

Whether you are a facility manager, school administrators, or part of the maintenance team, understanding the importance of preventive maintenance and implementing a well-designed plan can significantly impact the overall efficiency and effectiveness of your school’s operations. By adopting preventive measures, school divisions can minimize potential problems, reduce maintenance costs, and create an environment that fosters learning and growth.

• Minimizing Potential Problems and Avoiding Reactive Maintenance: Preventive maintenance programs help schools identify and address minor device issues before they escalate. Regular inspections allow for early detection of errors, preventing the need for emergency repairs that disrupt the learning process.
• Extending the Useful Life of Student Devices: Well-maintained devices have longer lifespans, reducing the need for costly replacements. By adopting preventive maintenance practices, schools can optimize their investment and save on premature device replacements.

Preventive Maintenance Best Practices

Establish a Planned Maintenance Schedule

Create a regular maintenance schedule that outlines inspections, servicing, and repairs for all equipment, systems, and facilities. This schedule should include tasks such as cleaning, calibration, and testing to ensure optimal performance and identify potential issues before they escalate.

Provide Hard Cases for Student Devices

Hard cases offer robust protection against physical damage resulting from accidental drops, impacts, and mishandling. The rigid construction and shock-absorbing features provide a reliable barrier, minimizing the risk of device breakage or component damage.

Our research shows hard cases on Chromebooks can significantly reduce failure rates for student devices. In our study of school districts with more than 20,000 student devices, we found that the failure rate of hard cases is 15% lower compared to non-hard cases. Data shows that failure rates are actually higher for devices with soft cases versus no cases. 

Conduct Regular Device Inspections

Conduct periodic device inspections to identify physical damages, loose connections, or signs of wear and tear. Replace damaged accessories, such as charging cables or headphones, to prevent further issues.

Split the Fleet for Cost Savings

Split fleet involves providing different levels of coverage depending on the device’s age, including the option of full ADP (Accidental Damage Protection) coverage for newer devices.

By splitting the fleet and tailoring the repair plan, schools can save money by avoiding unnecessary expenses on older devices. Here’s how this strategy works:

• Customized Repair Plan: Lexicon Tech works with schools to create a repair plan that takes into account the age and condition of their devices.
  • Flat-rate for Older Devices: Older devices may be covered under a flat-rate repair, which ensures cost-effective repairs without the need for full ADP coverage.
  • Full ADP Coverage for Newer Devices: any accidental damages or failures will be covered under the warranty, allowing schools to have peace of mind and avoid unexpected repair costs.

The benefits of this approach are twofold:

• Cost Savings: Instead of incurring high repair costs for older devices, schools can allocate their budget more efficiently and prioritize replacements or repairs for devices that truly require it.
• Strategic Asset Management: Schools can make informed decisions about when to retire older devices and invest in new technology. This ensures schools are utilizing resources wisely and staying up to date with the latest advancements in educational technology.

Component Level Repair for Device Longevity

Incorporating component level repair as part of preventive maintenance ensures the longevity and efficiency of student devices. Component level repair, offered by service providers like Lexicon Tech, involves repairing specific mainboard components instead of replacing entire devices. Here’s how this strategy can benefit your district:

• Maximize ROI & Cut Costs: Component level repair allows schools to significantly reduce expenses by avoiding the need to replace entire devices. For one school, Lexicon Tech did 2500 mainboard repairs in a school year. The school would have had to replace those Chromebooks at $300 each without component level repairs. 
• Extended Device Lifespan: By repairing mainboard components, schools can extend the useful life of their devices. Rather than discarding devices due to premature failure, component level repair enables schools to address specific issues and keep the devices operational.
• Minimized Disruption: Instead of waiting for device replacements or enduring lengthy repair times, schools can benefit from faster turnaround times with component repairs. Students and staff members have access to their devices and can continue their educational activities without significant interruptions.

Implement Summer Refresh Services

Summer refresh services encompass a comprehensive set of maintenance activities performed on school devices during the summer break. These services go beyond routine maintenance work and focus on rejuvenating devices to maintain their peak performance and reliability.

• Complete Cleaning and Maintenance Checks: Dust, dirt, and debris can accumulate over time, affecting the performance and longevity of the devices. By conducting a deep cleaning, including keyboard cleaning, screen cleaning, and port cleaning, schools can eliminate potential issues caused by dirt or debris.
• Reconfiguration and Testing: Testing is an integral part of summer refresh services to verify that all devices are functioning correctly after cleaning and reconfiguration. Through comprehensive testing procedures, schools can identify and address any remaining issues to ensure that devices are ready for seamless use in the upcoming academic year.
• Secure Storage Facilities: Preserving device condition during the summer break is crucial for maintaining their longevity and performance. Secure storage areas should be free from environmental hazards such as extreme temperatures, moisture, and excessive dust. Storing devices in such facilities safeguards them against potential damage and ensures they remain in optimal working order when students return.

Ready to ensure your school devices are in top working order for the upcoming academic year? Our expert maintenance technicians will provide complete cleaning, maintenance checks, reconfiguration, testing, and secure storage facilities.

Create a Preventive Maintenance Plan with Lexicon Tech Solutions 

Don’t wait for problems to arise – make preventive maintenance a priority. Contact Lexicon Tech and unlock the full potential of your school district’s technology assets. Together, we will pave the way for an exceptional educational journey for every student.