SCS could soon approve $11M to boost tech access

Shelby County Schools could supply 95,000 students with tablets and laptops for the upcoming school year, if board members vote Monday to approve the latest digital learning resolution.

The devices are only part of the digital device plan the district is proposing to align with its “hybrid” approach to school this fall. The latest plan anticipates a total cost of $37 million: Though devices account for about a third of those costs, board documents show, the plan will also fund connectivity, tech supports and replacement devices, as well as supports for the teachers who will be on the other side of the screen.

Presently, it’s unclear how much learning will take place remotely when August arrives. A reentry task force has been meeting weekly for the past several weeks to hammer out details of contingency plans.

Leasing the Microsoft and Hewlettpackard devices would amount to $11.2 million the first year, and nearly $45 million for the four-year agreement. It would provide:

● 28,300 Microsoft tablets for grades pre-k–2

● 42,000 Microsoft laptops for grades 3–8

● 24,700 HP laptops for grades 9–12

The current plan doesn’t account for the nearly 18,000 students in the district’s charter schools, but a presentation accompanying the resolution indicates the district is working on a plan to let those schools opt in to purchases.

SCS plans to put more than half of its funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act toward equipping each student with a device. The remaining funding for the plan will come from “other” and “pending” sources, documents show.

After this startup year, the present plan would require an additional $24 million annually. The accompanying presentation to the new resolution pro

vides budgetary reallocations and savings that the district indicates would make that possible.

As district leaders and board members have acknowledged, the device is only a tool for learning.

“To be clear, a device is just a device,” the new presentation states. “The goal is to craft a strategy intended to enhance learner outcomes. If we provide equity and access to devices and connectivity, all students have the opportunity to extend their learning day and further own their academic pursuits and progress to ensure every student, with the right tools and teacher support, will reach their greatest potential.”

Monday’s meeting will be the second attempt to move forward with a digital learning plan. Board members declined to move the plan to a vote after a committee presentation last week, Chalkbeat reported. Many board members reportedly wanted a clearer academic plan and picture of how the devices would aid learning.

Chalkbeat reported: “Board members acknowledged a decision is needed soon so the district can purchase laptops and hotspots for the fall, but without answers, board member Michelle Mckissack said the district would be ‘wasting money.’”

The board was scheduled to vote at a meeting Thursday afternoon, but pushed the meeting to Monday at 4:30 p.m. due to connectivity issues caused by a power outage. A circuit outage caused the school board office to lose power for just over two hours, a Memphis Light, Gas and Water spokesperson confirmed.

Earlier this week, the Nashville Metro government announced it planned to purchase 90,000 netbooks and 17,000 mobile internet hot spots for students that belonged to the local district. The Knox County Schools board approved a plan to fund devices for its students in mid-may.

Nationwide, COVID-19 has laid bare the existing inequities in education. Before the pandemic forced school closures, SCS had started an initiative to reach a goal of one device per student. Since school closures, they have issued laptops to some students who needed to complete course recovery, for example.

Across Shelby County, just under 60% of households had a broadband subscription, according to Census data from 2014-18. Soon after schools closed, the district surveyed its teachers and families, and heard back from about 60,000, board documents show.

Of those students, 79% had access to technology and 85% had access for online learning.

What the survey doesn’t show, though, is whether each household had one device per child, not to mention per any parent still working from home. Providing each child with a device is meant to address those obstacles to education.

Laura Testino covers education and children’s issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @Ldtestino.

“If we provide equity and access to devices and connectivity, all students have the opportunity to extend their learning day and further own their academic pursuits and progress.”

Presentation to Shelby County School Board about purchasing technology to improve students’ access to the internet