Subcommittee recommends Bloom USA Chromebooks, citing warranty and competitive pricing

The finance subcommittee voted to forward a recommendation that the full Providence School Board approve purchase of Chromebooks from Bloom USA for elementary grades. The committee moved and seconded the recommendation and approved it by voice vote.

Scott Barnett, from Technology, told members that device prices are rising across vendors and described the district’s plan to pilot ACES models used by teachers. He said the recommended devices include a four‑year accidental damage protection warranty and that, in his pilot experience, repair turnaround was about two days. "These come with a 4 year warranty ... everything short of you literally smashing the screen on purpose, is covered," Barnett said.

Barnett said the district generally expects devices to be useful for about six years though warranties commonly cover the earlier years, and that common repairs are cracked screens and missing keys. He estimated total per‑device costs including licensing and warranties at about $500, and explained that larger touch‑screen or 14‑inch models carry higher prices. Committee members confirmed the procurement received three bids (Dell, Bloom USA and Wally Computers) and that the recommended vendor represented the low bid for this subset of the district’s computer hardware line.

Chair moved the recommendation to the full board and Speaker 3 seconded; the voice vote recorded ayes and the motion passed. The purchase will next appear on the full school board agenda for final approval.