Eastchester UFSD technology presentation outlines four-year MacBook rollout as district faces about $1 million state-aid shortfall

Rob Jacobe, speaking "on behalf of the technology department," presented the Eastchester Union Free School District’s proposed technology spending for 2026–27, centering on a four‑year district‑device rollout and upgrades to network, security and instructional technology.

Jacobe told trustees the department has organized spending into six buckets—student devices, instructional technology, safety and security infrastructure, network, communication, and administration/compliance—and said the district’s network currently supports more than 4,700 devices for staff and students. He described a pilot of 20 high‑school students (10 iPads and 10 MacBooks) that produced a clear preference for MacBooks: "At the end of that pilot, 15 students were present in the room. 14 of them chose MacBooks," Jacobe said, and the district plans a four‑year rollout so each high‑school cohort will receive district devices on a predictable life‑cycle.

Why it matters: Board members flagged a roughly $1 million reduction in projected state aid for next year, which trustees said will increase pressure on the overall district budget. The technology increase for 2026–27 was presented as a 6.96% differential driven largely by device purchases and ongoing infrastructure projects.

Key details and tradeoffs: Jacobe reviewed several specific items. The district invested about $215,000 in a campus Wi‑Fi upgrade this year and proposes $150,000 next year to continue the project; he described the Wi‑Fi work as largely completing upgrades at the campus with subsequent, lower‑cost phases for other buildings. Interactive whiteboards and STEM lab investments were cited as core instructional tools; the district has installed 3D printers and a new high‑school maker space and has equipped classrooms with interactive displays and classroom laptops.

Jacobe emphasized security and data‑privacy work: the district uses endpoint protection and monitoring and is rolling out a new student information system (Infinite Campus) to replace multiple legacy platforms, which he said will improve the parent portal and administrative workflows while not increasing net cost. He said the technology team resolved more than 4,100 support requests this school year and resolved roughly 81% locally.

Board questions and policy context: Trustees asked why the district chose MacBooks for high‑school rollout. Jacobe replied that MacBooks can run installed software and offer greater performance for upper‑grade coursework, while Chromebooks ‘‘hit their limit’’ around eighth grade. On device policy, he cited a state mandate restricting personal devices in classrooms and said the district chose to require district‑managed devices to support filtering, classroom management, and consistent software availability.

What’s next: The technology budget is part of the broader 2026–27 budget process; the superintendent’s proposed budget will be presented to the board at an upcoming meeting and trustees said they expect to continue advocacy at the state level to address the aid reduction.