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Students tell Shorewood board Chromebooks lag, lose work; district says phased replacements are planned
Summary
Student board representatives reported frequent Chromebook failures — lagging, locked accounts and lost work — that remove students from class for loaner swaps; technology staff acknowledged issues and said a tiered replacement plan will phase more capable devices to upper grades.
Student board representatives raised concerns on Feb. 24 about Chromebook reliability that they say disrupts classroom instruction and assessment.
A student representative described frequent lag, locked accounts and situations where work does not save, requiring students to leave class to exchange devices. "These Chromebooks can be a great... option," the student said, "but sometimes forcing all students to use the Chromebooks that lag constantly... can restrict learning abilities." Another student said full classrooms sometimes cannot connect to the school's Wi‑Fi and that essays and projects have been lost when the Chromebook fails.
Jack Wallner, the district technology lead, thanked the students for the feedback and said the district is keeping notes and will follow up. He described a multi‑year asset replacement plan that aims to phase higher‑capability devices in tiers, with better devices planned for incoming freshmen and more powerful options for ninth and tenth graders over time.
"We are planning on making some improvements," Wallner said after hearing student testimony, and he committed to follow up with more information on longevity and replacement schedules. He said the district will consult the business office and noted replacement timing is constrained by budget and grant cycles.
Board members asked for a written follow‑up and for specifics on the replacement timeline; technology staff said they would provide more information and work with school staff responsible for Chromebook management.
No immediate board action was taken; administrators said they will report back with details and that device procurement is being balanced against other capital needs and grant availability.
