Board approves device refresh, district-owned Chromebooks and security upgrades

The Milford Exempted Village School District Board of Education on Feb. 20 approved technology purchases and a shift to district-owned student Chromebooks for middle school students, moving the district closer to a managed 1:1 device program.

Emma Walker, the district technology coordinator, told the board most staff desktops had exceeded expected lifespans and could not continue to receive security updates. She said the district will move staff who do not need specialized software to Chromebooks to save costs and that the quoted Chromebook and desktop bundles were funded from reserve funds outside the general fund.

The board approved a district-managed 1:1 Chromebook initiative beginning with grades 6-8 (sixth through eighth with a $50 annual tech fee for users), which Emma said improves filtering, enables lockdown-browser options for testing and simplifies maintenance. "This provides a security and management model that we cannot achieve with disparate personal devices," Emma said.

The board also approved purchases for Clever IDM and multi-factor authentication to improve password policies and allow easier resets for students and staff. Emma said those systems will allow the district to change student password practices and add optional MFA methods for younger students without relying solely on cell phones.

The motions passed by roll call with all board members voting yes. The district plans to phase additional grade levels into the district-owned device program over the next two years pending budget availability and will post implementation timelines to the technology office.