Catawba County Schools board approves $1.003 million Chromebook purchase and renews learning.com

The Catawba County Board of Education on Nov. 24 approved a technology purchase request to buy 2,620 Lenovo 100e Chromebooks and a four‑year platinum warranty for a total quoted price of $1,003,617.20, according to a presentation by district technology director Marty Sharp.

Sharp said the purchase is part of a negotiated five‑year replacement cycle covering grades 3–12; dividing projected device counts by five yields about 2,620 devices per year. The quoted package includes protective shells (about $20 per device) and an unlimited platinum warranty that covers accidental damage and hardware defects. Sharp told the board county commissioners approved and transmitted funding for the purchase and that the district would have a small remaining balance after the order.

Separately, the board approved renewal of learning.com, a program the district has used for two years and that the presenter said is funded by the state for K–8 digital skills, including keyboarding and STEM content.

Board members asked no substantive questions during the discussion and approved both the Chromebook quote and the learning.com renewal by motion and voice/hand vote. The transcript supplies the quoted total ($1,003,617.20) and the per‑device replacement planning figure (approximately 2,620 devices per year); it does not list the vendor contract number or the specific budget line item for the purchase.

Next administrative steps were not detailed on the record; the technology director indicated the county provided sufficent funding to place the order.