Los Angeles Unified’s iPad Program

iPad Program $1 Billion Initiative to provide every Student and Teacher in the LA Unified School District with an iPad LA School district is the 2 nd largest in the nation 650 thousand students This is the largest initiative of this type in the nation

John Deasy LA United School District Super Intendant Provide every student with the opportunity to succeed Believes that access to technology is key to that

The Roll Out It’s a slow roll out District officials have already provided devices for 25,000 Ss Planned on distributing tablets to the last of their 650,000 Ss in late 2014

Problems- Hacking Some 300 teenagers from 3 different high schools found a way to bypass security protocols in order to access unauthorized websites The iPads were confiscated and John Deasy directed all the schools to keep iPads on campus until further notice

Keyboards Tablets are meant to be the new way that Ts deliver curriculum tied to new state learning goals LA district officials said they were not essential New state standardized tests requires use of keyboard This was not taken into account in the original budget Estimated cost is an additional $38 million

Software Licenses expire in three years Renewing Costs $ per iPad, about $60 million annually The curriculum provided by Pearson is supplemental and has not been supplied in its entirety LA school district is paying for a curriculum that is phasing in Under the current roll out schedule thousands of Ss would not get the iPads until 2015, six months before the licenses expire

Budget Issues LA School district reported the cost at $678 per device This amount did not include taxes and mandatory recycling fee Keyboards and software updates The new estimate is $768 an iPad The iPads were bought using construction bonds, used to fix and maintain schools, and they are running out of money

Budget Issues cont. Higher Electricity Bills Larger Technical Staff Computer Network Maintenance Security Costs Would surpass $50 million annually District wants to add other digital curriculum- French and Science

Paying for it They hope to cover future technology costs with money that is currently used to buy textbooks $50 million a year To date, the state still requires the purchase of traditional texts books Gerald Loera, head of district curriculum, couldn’t say how soon the district could give up text books or whether electronic texts would cost less

Successes Many Ts and Ss are having great success with the program Students are “loving the iPads and the curriculum around it” The iPads allow Ss who have missed a concept to review on their own Research Online Learn at their own pace Write research essays with click in keyboards

Work in Progress It is the largest initiative of its kind It is a great idea Some bumps are expected Other districts will learn from LA’s shortcomings Poll Everywhere

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