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SAVANNAH R-III board approves $1.08 million Chromebook purchase for students
Summary
The SAVANNAH R-III Board unanimously approved a $1,075,005.50 bid for 2,025 student Chromebooks after the lowest bidder became unavailable; staff said the award represents roughly a $40,000 increase from previous multi‑year costs.
The SAVANNAH R-III Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a $1,075,005.50 bid to buy 2,025 Chromebooks for students, board members said during their regular meeting.
The district’s technology/finance staff told the board the lowest bidder, RTI, had sold the allotment they had reserved for the district, leaving a higher bid as the lowest viable option. “That bid is the lowest at a total bid of $1,075,005.50,” the staff member said. The staff also noted the purchase represents “approximately $40,000 more than what we have paid the last 4 years.”
The board moved and approved the purchase without dissent. A board member who spoke during the consent discussion abstained on a personnel item but did not object to the Chromebook purchase.
Why it matters: the purchase is the district’s plan to update student devices in stages this year, prioritizing student Chromebooks now with possible teacher device updates next year, district staff said.
What was decided: the motion to award the student-computer contract to the vendor referred to in the transcript as “2 trees” passed. Board discussion noted battery life and newer processors as reasons to accept the recommended machines; staff said the district prioritized newer hardware to avoid mid-day failures in classrooms.
Details and next steps: staff recommended the equipment now and indicated they will continue to monitor deployments and support. The board did not set further conditions during the vote.
Votes at a glance: - Approve agenda: carried (voice vote). - Consent agenda (minutes, bills, personnel, calendar final read): carried; one abstention on a personnel item (member stated an abstention on personnel). - General journal (financial report): carried unanimously. - Student computers (Chromebook purchase, bid $1,075,005.50 for 2,025 machines): carried unanimously.
Key quote: “That bid is the lowest at a total bid of $1,075,005.50,” the staff member reported when presenting the bids.
The board adjourned after hearing remaining reports. The purchase award is expected to be implemented by district staff according to the procurement schedule; no additional public hearings were announced in the meeting.
