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San Ramon Valley board approves $1.88 million strategic‑reserve purchase of Chromebooks to sustain 1:1 program
Summary
Trustees voted to transfer $1.876,034 from a board‑designated strategic reserve to fund Chromebook refreshes for incoming ninth graders, replace end‑of‑life devices and cover insurance and repairs after staff warned of supply and infrastructure pressures.
The San Ramon Valley Unified School District board voted unanimously on May 19 to transfer $1,876,034 from its strategic reserve to purchase Chromebooks and related services for the 2026‑27 school year.
Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Danny Hillman told the board the request covers new Chromebooks for incoming ninth graders, replacement of devices that have reached end of life and $400,000 for insurance, repairs and replacement costs. Hillman said some elementary devices had been stretched to a seven‑year cycle during previous budget pressures and now are failing. He also cited supply‑chain and chip‑cost escalation and higher than expected infrastructure needs this year — including server replacements and phone‑system upgrades — that together strained the technology budget and made a reserve draw necessary.
Superintendent Cammack said the purchase is time‑sensitive: orders must be placed now to receive and configure devices before the school year starts. He added the district intends to replenish the strategic reserve if one‑time state funding materializes after the final state budget in late June.
Public comment included objections that the request lacked granular unit counts and questioned whether device purchases should come from an economic‑uncertainty reserve. Board members responded that the strategic reserve is distinct from the state‑mandated reserve for economic uncertainty (REU) and that the board policy establishing the strategic reserve contemplates occasional use for operational continuity. Trustees also noted repair turnaround times at some school sites were creating multi‑week device gaps for students when replacements were unavailable.
Hillman said competitive procurement was completed with three vendors; Tech 2 School offered the lowest overall pricing for the selected Asus Chromebook model and included two‑year warranty, accidental damage coverage, recycling fees and white‑glove setup. If approved, the transfer reduces the strategic reserve but leaves roughly $2.7 million in the strategic fund while the REU (approximately $14.5 million) remains untouched.
The board approved the transfer and purchase. Superintendent Cammack said staff will return with contract details for board review and with plans to replenish the reserve if additional one‑time state funds arrive.
