Schools
District 58 Approves iPad Purchase, Moves Forward with 1:1 Device Initiative
The school board approved more than $700,000 in purchases, including a new library system and a lease agreement for new MacBook Air laptops.
The District 58 Board of Education recently approved more than $700,000 in purchases that support the district's goal of enhancing technology and instruction.
During its May 13 meeting, the board approved a lease agreement for 400 new laptops, as well as the purchase of a new library system and 650 iPad Minis, which are part of District 58's new 1:1 device pilot program implementation.
The iPads were purchased for $200,850, and will be used for the 2013-14 school year.
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So far, 37 teaching teams have applied to be a part of the full-year pilot, which will build on the three-week unit-long pilots, called Learning Labs, which have taken place during the 2012-13 school year.
During the year-long pilot, the benefits to students of a 1:1 device program will continue to be studied and analyzed, according to district officials.
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Future plans for resource distribution district-wide include an increase in digital resources, which require a much more robust tool to manage, distribute, and allow patron browsing, district officials said.
The lease agreement for 400 Macbook Air laptop computers was approved for a total cost of $448,975.92, which will be distributed over three years with a yearly payment of $149,658.64, pending final approval by attorneys representing District 58.
The teachers' former devices will be repurposed for student use, which supports the 2012-13 district goal of increasing student access to computers in all buildings.
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