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Keystone Central SD considers switching elementary grades from 1:1 Chromebooks to shared cart model to save replacement costs
Summary
District staff and board members debated a proposal to buy 35 charging carts for elementary classrooms and shift some elementary grades from one‑to‑one Chromebooks toward shared cart use; the district estimated up to roughly $300,000 in avoided device purchases and cited lower device damage as an additional saving.
The committee devoted substantial time to technology: whether to continue one‑to‑one Chromebooks at elementary grades or move some grades to a cart‑based shared model.
A district administrator (speaker S10) outlined a proposal in the board book for 35 carts to be allocated across elementary buildings and said using carts could reduce Chromebook purchases and repair costs. "That is, roughly $300,000 of Chromebooks and chargers that, we would be able to save by not purchasing them on a 1 to 1 basis," S10 said, adding that carts provide organized charging, mobility and safer power management.
Board members and principals highlighted tradeoffs. Several said middle‑school students often take devices home for homework and that damage rates are higher at older grades; they agreed the cart model is more practical at the elementary level where students largely remain in one classroom. One board member cited an internal estimate of $72,000 in repair savings across 2027–28 by moving to carts and suggested a staged approach.
Members asked vendor and cost questions (several asked why carts cost about $1,400 each); IT staff explained carts include smart charging, heavy‑duty construction and power management that reduce hazards and maintenance. The district said middle school will remain one‑to‑one under current plans.
Regarding timing, laptop replacements for the coming school year are already budgeted and procurement must follow vendor timelines; the board approved starting laptop ordering under the approved budget so devices arrive on time, while cart purchase orders will be held until staff provide additional details on allocation and implementation. No formal vote was taken to alter the one‑to‑one status at middle school.
