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LAUSD pilot ‘Project Reconnect’ turns broken Chromebooks into career training for students with disabilities
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Summary
Project Reconnect at Perez Career and Transition Center trains students with disabilities to diagnose and repair district Chromebooks, aiming to reduce e‑waste, return devices to schools and create pathways to paid internships and CompTIA A+ certification.
Project Reconnect, a pilot at Perez Career and Transition Center, combines device repair, career education and inclusive instruction to train students with disabilities for entry‑level technology jobs while returning refurbished devices to LAUSD classrooms.
“We’re very pleased to introduce Project Reconnect, an innovative program that combines technology repair, career education, and inclusive learning environments for students with disabilities,” said Anthony Aguilar, chief of special education and specialized programs. The program brings together ITS, special education, Perez CTC and adult and career education to give students hands‑on technical experience.
David Cooper, senior director of information technology, described a professional repair lab with 15 workstations, proper lighting and step‑by‑step visual instructions designed to accommodate a range of physical and cognitive needs. “This is our actual repair lab, where our students work every day at Perez CTC,” Cooper said, adding that the lab was built to give students real repair experience and a ticketing workflow similar to professional IT environments.
Students who spoke at the board meeting described concrete skills they are learning. “I have learned how to remove the screen and take out the battery,” said Damien Chavez, who has been at Perez CTC three years. Matthew Galavis said he learned to replace screens, trackpads and keyboards and hopes the course leads to work as a computer technician.
School support administrator Nicole Douglas said Project Reconnect works with community partners and regional centers to identify paid internships and supported employment. She described an existing Regional Center program that funds paid internships up to 1,040 hours per year so that employers do not need to pay wage costs for the internship hours.
Presenters said most practice devices come from LAUSD inventory and repairs are intended to return to district schools that need functioning Chromebooks. “The devices used for hands‑on practice are sourced from LAUSD’s existing stock,” Dr. Jose (introduced in the presentation) said. Officials said program costs are currently minimal because the project repurposes district devices slated for refurbishment.
Board members asked how success will be measured. Officials pointed to outcome tracking including the district’s indicator‑14 follow‑up calls to graduates, goals to prepare students for industry certification (CompTIA A+ was cited by an ITS speaker), and a target to increase the number of devices repaired and returned to schools. Cooper said the lab’s early target is “a couple hundred devices” for practice and repair as students build skill and capacity.
Board members praised the students’ presentations and urged staff to identify additional CTC sites and leaders willing to be early adopters so the model can be scaled, noting that space allocation and staffing are primary constraints. Officials said the next steps include developing instructional pacing and working with adult and career education to provide certification pathways and internship pipelines.
The district said Project Reconnect aims both to reduce costs and e‑waste and to create a replicable career pathway that blends technical skill development with industry preparation. Board members encouraged continued outreach to vendors and employers about direct hiring opportunities for program graduates.
The district did not propose a formal action at this meeting; staff will continue planning and return with follow‑up details on outcomes, scaling and partnerships.
