Board approves $100,000 Chromebook purchase to support summer program

The board approved a $100,000 allocation from Summer Discovery funds to purchase Chromebook devices and management licenses to support the district's Summer Discovery program. Trustee Rebecca Chamblas moved the measure and trustees voted unanimously to approve the purchase.

Administration said the purchase would be made through vendors in the Oakland County Consortium, which allows cooperative procurement without separate bidding. The devices and management licenses will be funded entirely from Summer Discovery funds and "will have no impact on the district's general fund," the presenter said. Officials explained the devices will remain on campus during the summer program and will not be checked out to students for home use.

Board members asked timing and enrollment questions. Administration said Chromebooks must be in place before the program begins on June 22 and that the consortium has limited immediate inventory, so the district may procure devices in multiple small orders from different vendors. At an estimated market price of $250–$300 per unit, the presenter said $100,000 would purchase roughly 300–400 devices, and that actual unit counts will be confirmed with vendor quotes.

Officials also outlined a risk tied to the Summer Discovery grant: the program receives 80% of funding upfront but must meet a 70% attendance threshold to receive full funding. If attendance falls short, the district could be required to reallocate or repay funds and might shift staffing or field-trip allocations to cover computers.

Next steps: administration will finalize vendor quotes and procurement timing to meet the June program start and will provide details on exact unit counts and deployment plans to the board.