Board approves ~$160,600 purchase of Chromebooks after budget questions
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Summary
The Southmoreland board approved a $160,594.92 purchase of roughly 459 Chromebooks as part of a technology refresh. Board members questioned budgeting and device counts; Business Manager Pam Mondock said the district had budgeted $109,000 and would use multiple line items to cover the purchase.
The Southmoreland School District board voted on Nov. 18 to approve a technology refresh purchase of Chromebooks quoted at $160,594.92. The district said the quote covers roughly 459 devices (unit price shown on the quote about $463.59 each).
Business Manager Pam Mondock told the board the district budgeted approximately $109,000 in the technology line item and has set aside some funds in case additional needs arise during the year. "We budgeted $109,000 but we kind of kept some of that money to the side in case we needed going further down the school year," she said. She explained the purchase would draw on the technology refresh line and some curriculum funds.
Board members asked whether the district had moved to laptops previously and how many devices the proposed purchase would supply. One board member raised national research questioning the educational impact of increased technology use in classrooms and asked that future agenda time be set to discuss instructional use policies.
The motion to approve the Chromebook purchase carried by voice vote; no exact roll-call tally was announced on the record.