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School board approves five‑year device lease for PCS Connects, citing $3.5M annual savings
Summary
The Pinellas County School Board voted 6–0 to approve a lease agreement with NTT DATA Inc. for student take‑home devices under the PCS Connects program; district staff said leasing will allow upgrades and reduce upfront costs and maintenance burdens.
The Pinellas County School Board voted unanimously July 15 to approve a five‑year lease of student take‑home devices from NTT DATA Inc. as part of the district’s PCS Connects program.
The board approved the lease on a motion by Meyer and a second from Blacksburg; the vote was 6–0.
Why it matters: District technology leaders said moving from outright purchase to a lease model will reduce large upfront costs, allow regular device refreshes, streamline maintenance and produce ongoing operational savings the district can reallocate to students and classrooms.
Presentation and rationale
Chief Technology Officer Keith Mastereides told the board that PCS Connects — the district’s one‑to‑one student device program launched in February 2019 — will transition from a purchase model to a lease model to improve service and lower cost. Mastereides said lease pricing is projected to save the district an average of $3,500,000 per year over the five‑year term compared with purchasing devices outright while also allowing regular upgrades and improved maintenance response times.
Board discussion and vote
Vice Chair Caprice Edmond and other board members noted operational benefits, including concurrent operation of the district’s inventory system and a new repair workflow that staff say will shorten device turnaround times. A motion from Meyer, seconded by Blacksburg, carried with all six members present voting yes. The superintendent introduced the agenda item and Mastereides presented the details.
What the board did
Action: approved item 8.1, request approval to lease devices from NTT DATA Inc. Outcome: approved, vote 6–0.
Closing
Board members expressed support for the transition and said the lease will help sustain the PCS Connects program’s goal of providing equitable access to technology for students at school and at home.
