For nearly two decades, educational leaders heard the same prediction: schools were becoming paperless. Laptops, tablets, digital curricula, learning management systems, and now artificial intelligence were supposed to make printers and copiers increasingly irrelevant.

That isn't what happened.

Instead, many schools are finding themselves reassessing the role of paper in the classroom. Teachers are using more in-class writing to verify student understanding. Elementary educators continue to rely heavily on printed materials to teach foundational skills. Administrators are questioning whether students learn and retain information differently on screens versus paper. And concerns about distraction, attention spans, and AI-generated work have accelerated those conversations.

"What is the best medium for this particular learning objective?" asks Sarah Smith, Associate Principal at a large suburban Illinois high school. "The goal shouldn't be to increase or decrease paper use. It should be to create an intentional approach where technology and paper are each used when they best support learning." 

The result is that printers and copiers remain essential infrastructure in schools. The problem is that many districts are managing print environments that were never designed strategically in the first place.

According to Josh Brown, owner of Midwest Laser Specialists (MLS), schools often spend far more on printing than they realize, not because they print too much, but because their printer fleets are poorly managed.eller of refurbished printers and copiers, MLS helps schools evaluate, optimize, and maintain print environments. Brown says most districts can significantly reduce costs without limiting teachers' access to printed materials.

His advice starts with a simple truth:

"People thought everything was going paperless," Brown says. "There was a decrease perhaps, but it always stuck around. Now I think people are swinging back and finding it easier to have that piece of paper rather than needing every kid to have a laptop." 

Why Teachers Still Depend on Paper

For some educators, the shift back toward paper isn't really a shift at all.

In high school mathematics, for example, handwriting remains essential.

"95% of my classwork is still paper and pencil," says Justin Smith, a veteran high school math teacher with 23 years of experience. "I use computers to disseminate information, but not really for them to do much of their work on."

Technology plays an important role in instruction. Smith uses Desmos, online graphing tools, projected calculators, educational videos, and adaptive learning platforms. But when it comes to student work, paper remains the foundation.

"I think in math there always will be a need for students to show their work on problems they complete." 

The dependence on printed materials is even more pronounced in elementary education.

"Students who are just beginning to read and write first need strong fine motor muscles," says Shannon Roche, an elementary school teacher. "When they have those, they will be able to hold a pencil, crayon, and begin to use scissors." 

Roche says she prints:

  • Letter tracing activities
  • Number tracing exercises
  • Journals
  • Math worksheets
  • Decodable readers
  • Literacy center activities
  • Science and social studies materials
  • Parent communications
  • Homework schedules
  • Classroom crafts

"When students use paper they slow down," Roche says. "The teacher can help assist them. If they make a mistake they like to use the eraser too." 

Her observation reflects a broader trend many administrators report seeing.

At Most Holy Redeemer School, Assistant Principal Erin Compton says the school is becoming increasingly intentional about technology use.

"We are moving away from the idea that devices should be used simply because they are available," Compton says. "Especially because, if not used with intention, the distractions of technology can easily outweigh its benefit as a learning tool." 

The Hidden Problem: Most Schools Don't Actually Know What Printing Costs

Many administrators know what they spend on paper.

Far fewer know what they spend on:

  • Toner
  • Service calls
  • Maintenance
  • Replacement parts
  • Downtime
  • Excess devices
  • Overstocked supplies
  • Unused printers

According to Brown, districts often purchase printers piecemeal over many years.

One classroom gets a printer.

Then another.

Then another.

Eventually, schools can end up supporting dozens of different printer models.

"The most common mistake is piecemealing machines," Brown says. "Every couple of years one is added here, one is replaced there, and now you have different model machines in every room. People only know how to use their machine and you need an entire room to stock spare toner."

This creates hidden costs that accumulate year after year.

Josh Brown's Five-Step Print Readiness Audit

Before increasing printing, Brown recommends conducting a basic audit.

Administrators should evaluate five areas:

1. Age and Condition of Existing Equipment

Start by identifying every printer and copier in the district.

How old are they?

Are they still supported?

Have they received recent firmware updates?

Older machines may create security concerns and reliability issues. 

2. Compare Print Volume to Duty Cycle

Every printer has a manufacturer-recommended monthly volume.

Brown says districts should compare actual printing volume against what each machine is designed to handle. 

A classroom printer designed for 10,000 pages per month performs very differently from a large copier capable of handling 400,000 pages monthly.

3. Calculate Cost Per Page

Most administrators have never calculated cost per page for each device.

Brown recommends examining toner costs and cartridge yields to establish a baseline cost-per-page figure. 

Without this data, it's impossible to know which printers are actually economical.

4. Evaluate Reliability

Warning signs include:

  • Frequent repairs
  • Recurring service calls
  • Paper jams
  • Print defects

"If you're requiring service on a regular basis for a specific machine, you're probably using it either incorrectly or too much," Brown says. 

5. Assess User Experience

Can teachers easily use the machine?

Can a new employee quickly learn it?

Does everyone avoid it because it's frustrating?

Reliability and usability matter just as much as cost.

Where Most Districts Waste Money

After reviewing hundreds of school print environments, Brown sees three recurring problems.

Mistake #1: Too Many Unused Classroom Printers

Many schools assume every classroom needs its own printer.

Often, teachers are walking down the hall and using a central copier anyway.

"If teachers prefer to use the copier in the office, it's not worth stocking supplies for the printer in that classroom," Brown explains.

Each underused printer requires:

  • Toner inventory
  • Maintenance
  • Replacement parts
  • Administrative oversight

Those costs add up quickly.

Mistake #2: No Preventative Maintenance

Many districts wait until machines fail.

Brown strongly advises against this approach.

"When issues start with the machine, they can have a snowball effect," he says. A failed roller or damaged fuser can create larger problems and potentially render a machine non-repairable. 

His recommendation:

Perform preventative maintenance every six months.

For schools, that usually means:

  • Summer break
  • Winter break

Mistake #3: Too Many Different Models

Standardization dramatically reduces costs.

"If you're going to have a large fleet of small printers, make them the same model," Brown says. "Schools used to have a supply closet full of toner because they had 40 different machines."

When printers share toner and parts, inventory management becomes significantly easier and less expensive. 

The Budget-Friendly Administrator's Maintenance Schedule

Brown recommends a straightforward annual calendar:

July or August

  • Fleet inspection
  • Preventative maintenance
  • Replace aging consumables
  • Stock toner before school begins

December or January

  • Midyear preventative maintenance
  • Review usage spikes
  • Replenish supplies

Monthly

  • Review print volumes
  • Look for machines exceeding recommended duty cycles
  • Track repair frequency

MLS monitors fleet usage monthly and uses that data to identify seasonal demand patterns and future needs. 

What School Leaders Should Do Before Buying More Printers

Administrators often assume increased printing will require additional devices.

Brown says that's the wrong first question.

Instead ask:

  1. What is our current print volume?
  2. What can our existing fleet handle?
  3. Which machines are underutilized?
  4. Which machines are overloaded?
  5. Are teachers actually using the printers already available?

Only after answering those questions should districts consider additional equipment.

The Bottom Line: Start With Learning, Then Build the Infrastructure

Across every interview, one theme emerged.

Neither administrators nor teachers are advocating for a return to entirely paper-based classrooms.

They're advocating for balance.

Technology remains valuable.

Paper remains valuable.

The challenge for district leaders is ensuring their infrastructure supports both.

As Compton puts it, "A child who writes their answer using a pencil is not receiving an outdated education, and a child using a computer to type out and turn in their work is not automatically receiving an innovative one. Both the pencil and the computer belong in a modern classroom." 

For Brown, that means schools should stop treating printers as an afterthought.

Districts manage buses, facilities, networks, and curriculum strategically. Print environments deserve the same level of attention.

"If you could give district administrators one piece of advice," Brown says, "it would be to reach out to somebody who really understands and not try to become a printer expert on their own. There are a lot of things to take into account that they just might not be aware of." 

And as schools continue to embrace both technology and paper-based learning, that expertise may be more valuable than ever.

For more resources, access our 15-minute print fleet health check for school administers. 

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