Carroll County Public Schools reports 19,312 student devices, frames laptops as instructional tools not solutions

Carroll County Public Schools officials told the school board that the district now assigns 19,312 student devices and uses a mix of one-to-one and shared-device models to support instruction.

The presentation Tuesday was intended to give board members a snapshot of how devices are used across grade levels and why district leaders call technology a tool rather than a replacement for classroom teaching. "The total number of student assigned devices is 19,312," Gary Davis, the district—s chief information officer, said during the work session.

Why it matters: Board members have asked whether devices are being used to improve outcomes or simply because they are available. District staff said that technology, when matched with teacher-led instruction and professional development, supports adaptive interventions and timely formative feedback that teachers can act on.

What officials presented: The district runs Schoology as its learning management system; higher grades rely on the LMS and digital materials for assignments, grading and communication. Dr. Christy Farver, director of elementary schools, said younger children remain in print-rich environments and use technology for guided, supplemental literacy and assessment work such as MAP Growth and the kindergarten readiness assessment (KRA).

At the middle-school level, the district reported laptops are typically used about three times per week and often for summative or formative assessments that inform small-group instruction. "It gives us great feedback that we are able to then differentiate and pull into small groups and work with students," a middle-school director said.

High schools and career-technical programs show the greatest variability: core classes may use laptops for the majority of a period because assignments and submissions run through Schoology, while CTE classes use higher-end lab equipment and software that exceed standard laptop capabilities.

Data caveats and measurement: District staff said their usage figures came from a one-week snapshot (early October) capturing distinct users who logged in on district-assigned devices; the snapshot does not capture students using personal devices or instances where assigned devices were in repair. The CIO noted login rates for assigned devices were generally above 90% in that snapshot, but emphasized the number reflects logins, not the amount or quality of instructional use.

What—s next: Staff recommended continuing professional development for teachers so they can interpret and act on the real-time data the tools provide, and the board asked staff to provide further evidence tying technology investment to student achievement measures in future reports.

Closing note: No formal action was taken; the session closed with board members urging balanced technology use and better parent outreach about district tools.