Life After Federal Stimulus: Funding Your 2026 Tech Roadmap

For the last few years, K-12 districts have operated in a rare environment of budget surplus. Federal emergency relief funds allowed for massive upgrades in 1:1 device programs, network infrastructure, and classroom technology.

However, as we move into the 2026 fiscal cycle, that "funding cliff" has arrived. According to the 2025 SETDA EdTech Trends report, funding has officially overtaken cybersecurity as the number one unmet need for state edtech leaders. Even more alarming, only 6% of states have concrete plans to sustain ESSER-funded initiatives—a steep drop from 27% just a year ago.

Many districts are now left with a critical question: How do we maintain and modernize our infrastructure without the federal safety net? At Maverick Networks, we are helping districts move away from "emergency spending" and toward a model of long-term budget sustainability. While this applies to everything from laptops to cybersecurity, the clearest place to see this shift in action is within your communications and connectivity infrastructure.

Here is how your district can fund its 2026 roadmap while navigating the post-stimulus reality:

The Pivot from CapEx to OpEx

In the past, technology was often treated as a Capital Expenditure (CapEx). You saved for years, bought a massive on-premise phone system or server rack, and then watched it depreciate for a decade.

In a post-stimulus world, this "burst" spending model is high-risk. Modern districts are shifting toward Operating Expenditure (OpEx) models like Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) to keep communications costs predictable and aligned with enrollment.

The Benefit: Instead of a $200,000 "hit" to the general fund every eight years, you move to a predictable, per-user monthly cost. This allows you to align your technology costs directly with your student enrollment numbers and protects you from the sudden, massive costs of hardware failure.

Hunting for "Zombie" Licenses

One of the fastest ways to free up funding is to audit what you’re already paying for but not actively using. During the rush to support remote learning, many districts over-provisioned software and communication tools.

We call these Zombie Licenses. They are recurring monthly costs for:

• Licenses for staff members who have since left the district.
• Redundant communication silos (e.g., paying for a legacy phone system maintenance contract while also paying for Zoom or Teams licenses).
• "Premium" tiers that offer features your faculty and staff never actually use.
• Old voice service contracts still active on unused lines.

Maximizing E-Rate and State-Specific Grants

While the federal stimulus has ended, other long-standing funding vehicles remain underutilized.

• E-Rate Optimization: According to CITE 2025 funding strategies, the new Category 2 funding cycle is the perfect opportunity to look at your infrastructure and maximize your 5-year resources. Every dollar saved on E-Rate-eligible networking is a dollar you can redirect from the general fund toward voice and security projects.
• State Safety Grants: Many states have introduced specific grants for school safety and emergency communications. Nationally, the Department of Justice has expanded the BJA STOP School Violence Program for 2026, offering nearly $83 million in total funding. Because modern cloud voice systems are now integral to safety (supporting Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act), they often qualify for these safety-specific funding pools.

Consolidating the "Single-Purpose" Hardware 

Maintaining legacy voice hardware is a hidden budget killer, especially when systems are siloed.If you're still running a separate server for phones, a different system for paging, and another platform for emergency notifications, you're likely tripling your maintenance and labor costs.

By moving to a unified, cloud-based platform, you can eliminate:

• On-site hardware support contracts.
• Specialized HVAC and power requirements for server rooms.
• The "Single Point of Failure" risk that requires expensive emergency on-site technician visits.

By shifting the maintenance burden to the vendor, your internal IT team is freed up to focus on classroom support and student outcomes rather than fixing dial tone.

Reclaim Your Budget for 2026

The funding cliff doesn't have to mean a technology freeze. It simply requires a more surgical approach to where your dollars are going. At Maverick Networks, we specialize in helping districts perform these deep-dive audits to ensure your technology ecosystem is as efficient as it is effective.

By identifying unused lines and redundant licenses, we help you find the path forward that protects both your budget and your students.

Ready to stop the "Zombie License" drain?