Board approves Dell laptop lease and CommonLit contract amid debate over 1:1 devices

The Harford County Board of Education on June 9 approved two technology contracts after extended discussion: a four‑year lease for high‑school Dell laptops and a districtwide CommonLit digital‑literacy contract.

Procurement staff said the Dell arrangement is a four‑year lease built off a cooperative contract vehicle (MEAC) that allows the district to obtain pricing under an existing agreement. The contract covers approximately 12,100 high‑school students (grades 9–12) and was discussed by board members as a four‑year lease described in the meeting as roughly $2,000,000 per year, which some members equated to a roughly $8,000,000 total obligation over the lease term.

Board debate focused on whether the district should maintain a 1:1 device model for high schools or prioritize classroom and teacher hires. Board member Melissa (speaker 3) cited studies favoring handwriting and argued the district could instead pay for additional teachers; other members noted operational needs such as synchronous virtual days and the district's reliance on digital platforms for instruction and grading.

Procurement supervisor Jen Horner clarified the MEAC contract term dates (the vehicle runs March 15, 2023 through March 14, 2026), and said the district must place its order under the contract before the vehicle expires to secure pricing. The lease includes refresh and support provisions and is structured so that devices can be returned and replaced at the end of the lease term.

Separately, the board approved a CommonLit platform contract for roughly $130,000 per year (site licenses at a school level instead of per student). District reading and ELA supervisors described CommonLit as a standards‑aligned bank of texts, benchmark tools, and accessibility/assistive features; they said teachers can download reports to share individual student performance with parents and that the district completed a data privacy review.

The CommonLit motion passed with one abstention recorded; the Dell lease motion passed on a voice/roll‑call vote after debate. Board members said they would continue discussion about instructional policy and technology use and that staff would create or update a district policy governing technology use and refresh cycles in the future.

Both contracts were presented as part of the consent/contract agenda and are effective immediately under the terms described by procurement.