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Revere middle schools keep Chromebooks in buildings this year; district clarifies access and supports
Summary
District leaders told the Sept. 9 committee that Chromebooks are being kept in all three middle schools this school year to reduce loss and ensure equitable in-class access; high school devices continue to go home.
Revere School Committee members and district staff clarified technology access at the Sept. 9 Committee of the Whole, saying middle schools will keep Chromebooks in buildings this year to reduce theft and loss and to maintain equitable access for classroom instruction.
Dr. Kelly described a multi-year shift to keeping devices in schools after losses made it difficult for teachers to plan technology-based lessons. “When we were sending Chromebooks home with kids, the number of them that were gone missing, was becoming unmanageable,” Dr. Kelly said. She described principals’ decisions over the last two years to move toward in-school storage and said that starting this school year “all 3 of our middle schools are not giving out Chromebooks for kids to take home.”
District staff said the high school continues to permit devices to go home. For students who lack home computers, the district listed alternatives: after-school access on a late bus Monday through Thursday, library and computer-lab resources, and the opportunity to stay after school to complete assignments.
Committee members and principals discussed how buildings share carts and devices. Staff told the committee that principals reported inventories at each middle school of roughly 18 carts with about 30 Chromebooks per cart, for a total near 540 Chromebooks districtwide across the three middle schools. Dr. Kelly said carts are on wheels and can be moved between classrooms, but that teachers must coordinate use and charging; an item as simple as not plugging in carts overnight can cause a day in which devices are unavailable.
Committee conversation covered options to revisit the policy, the role of insurance or replacement fees at the high school level, and equity concerns. The committee noted that the device policy is on a subcommittee agenda for further review and that principals will send clarification notices to middle school families to explain the change in take-home practice.
Staff recommended collecting specific school-level complaints (what school, what classroom, what day) before proposing new purchases, and committee members said the Ways & Means committee could consider additional funding if needed after that review.
