Board approves $3.1 million purchase of student Chromebooks and classroom computers; board asks for rollout safeguards
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Summary
Trustees unanimously approved purchasing Chromebooks and classroom computers using FY24 carryover funds. Board discussion focused on device durability, screen‑time concerns, parental acknowledgements and an implementation plan for device responsibility and repairs.
The Stafford County School Board unanimously approved a one‑time purchase of student Chromebooks and classroom computers using FY24 carryover funds at the May 20 meeting. The approved package totals roughly $3.1 million and will cover classroom computers and a countywide refresh; the middle‑school take‑home portion was described in staff materials as approximately $2.2 million.
Deputy Superintendent Chris Fulmer and staff outlined the purchase rationale: districts have reduced reliance on traditional textbooks, adopted online curricula, and face multiple state testing requirements that require devices. Staff reported an estimated purchase of roughly 8,900 units overall (elementary, middle and other classroom devices) and explained the proposed distribution by school level.
Board members asked for implementation safeguards before wide distribution. Trustees pressed staff for a written plan on parental acknowledgements, repair and replacement protocols, breakage rates, and steps to reduce unnecessary screen time. Several trustees asked that staff return with a proposal for a parent/guardian acknowledgement form and a phased rollout that prioritizes classroom management and teacher training on instruction uses. “We’ve got to have a plan for how we use the computers instructionally at all grade levels,” one board member said.
The purchase motion passed unanimously. The board also asked the superintendent to return with a plan to reduce device breakage (staff cited past repair workloads and recommended cart‑based use patterns where feasible), a communication strategy for families, and explicit guidance on which grades will take devices home. Staff intends to present a more detailed rollout and parental acknowledgement proposal to the board in the next meeting cycle.
Why it matters The purchase funds a near‑term technology refresh and supports shifts to digital curricula and state testing. Trustees emphasized that supply choices and distribution policy will affect long‑term total cost of ownership (repair/replacement cycles), classroom management and student screen time.