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Board approves committee recommendation on 1‑to‑1 devices; iPads remain K–5, pilot Chromebooks at secondary
Summary
Following a multi‑month review, the district’s committee recommended keeping iPads for elementary grades (K–5) with devices primarily staying at school, aligning middle‑school policy across campuses, and piloting Chromebooks at the secondary level; the board approved the recommendation and directed further implementation details.
After a committee review that included staff, parents and 993 student survey responses, the Eagle Point School District 9 Board of Directors on Jan. 10 approved the technology committee leads’ recommendations for the district’s 1‑to‑1 device program.
The committee proposed these principal recommendations: retain iPads for elementary grades (K–5) and generally keep those devices at school; align policies for Grades 6–8 so White Mountain Middle School and Eagle Point Middle School follow a consistent approach; and pilot Chromebooks at the secondary level (Eagle Point High School) on a limited scale to test compatibility with district academic platforms and to gather cost and operational data.
Committee leads told the board that, after comparing devices, app availability, accessibility features, repairability and financing options, the overall cost differences between comparable iPads and Chromebooks were smaller than assumed because Apple’s buyback/resale and interest‑free financing offers narrowed the lifecycle cost gap. The committee also reported that students and parents — especially in elementary grades — favored iPads for usability, whereas some staff and district technologists saw advantages to Chromebooks for certain secondary coursework and for a different device form factor.
Survey results presented to the board showed a tendency for younger students and parents to prefer iPads and to favor leaving devices at school, while older students and some staff were more inclined toward Chromebooks and taking devices home. Charging logistics (students arriving with uncharged devices) emerged as a major teacher concern; district technologists recommended standardized charging/staging solutions and staff professional development to improve reliability.
The board approved the committee’s recommendation by roll call and directed district administration and IT to: (1) implement the K–5 approach and draft consistent 6–8 guidance for principals, (2) design and run a limited Chromebook pilot at the secondary level, (3) standardize charging protocols and parent training materials, and (4) return with implementation scheduling and budget implications prior to the next budget cycle.
