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Scranton SD plans Chromebook purchases, device carts and Smart Futures licensing ahead of 2025–26 school year
Summary
District staff recommended immediate purchase of a West Scranton marching band podium and proposed Chromebook and drum line equipment purchases; district will include drum‑line equipment and device carts in the 2026 budget planning and pursue Smart Futures licenses required for college and career readiness reporting.
District staff told the board they will immediately purchase a new podium for the West Scranton High School marching band at an estimated cost of about $2,000 and that both high‑school bands requested new drum‑line equipment. Staff said complete drum‑line sets cost between $12,000 and $15,000 and proposed phasing purchases into the 2026 and 2027 budgets; one staff member said an option discussed was to include both sets in the 2026 budget.
On instructional technology, the business office alerted the board that purchase orders for Chromebooks and Chromebook carts should be issued promptly because many districts will be ordering at the same time. Staff said the district issued consolidated supply bids recently and will add other immediate needs as purchase orders where necessary.
The board also heard about Smart Futures, a program staff recommended adopting to collect artifacts required by the district’s college‑and‑career readiness guidance (referred to in the meeting as guidance 339). Staff said the program would help the district meet state monitoring requirements and elements of Pennsylvania’s future accountability reporting; board approval for licensing will be requested.
Staff pointed to device‑repair data as part of the rationale for carts: at the intermediate school level staff reported 60–100 devices being repaired every 10 days, and the carts would help monitor device status across the year. No final purchase votes were recorded at the work session; staff said they will include the items in the budget package and present motions at the next business meeting.
