“Los Angeles school district officials have allowed a group of high schools to choose from among six different laptop computers for their students — a marked contrast to last year’s decision to give every pupil an iPad,” Howard Blume reports for The Los Angeles Times. “Contracts that will come under final review by the Board of Education on Tuesday would authorize the purchase of one of six devices for each of the 27 high schools at a cost not to exceed $40 million.”
“In the fall, administrators, teachers and students at those schools will test the laptops to determine whether they should be used going forward,” Blume reports. “What they learn will affect the future of an ongoing effort to provide computers for all students in the nation’s second-largest school system.”
“A year ago… the school board, with little discussion, authorized a $30-million contract with Apple that was expected to expand to at least $500 million. An additional $500 million was earmarked for upgrading Internet connections,” Blume reports. “The rollout of the iPads last fall at 47 schools, however, was beset by challenges, controversy and some mistakes. Students immediately deleted security filters so they could freely browse the Internet. The district recalled the devices at several schools and some students never saw them again. Distribution of the devices quickly fell behind schedule… Districtwide distribution of the iPads is on hold, although some schools still are scheduled to receive them in the fall.”
“The laptop options impressed Carolyn McKnight, the principal at East Los Angeles Performing Arts Magnet, one of five schools at the Torres complex. Two chose the Lenovo Yoga Touch, two the Microsoft Surface Pro 2 and the last, a Dell Latitude E7240,” Blume reports. “A few other campuses chose Chromebooks.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Idiots. God only knows what other idiocy is going on in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
And, why aren’t MacBook Air notebooks among the choices? What a hideous list of crap! Surface Pro 2? Seriously?
In the hands of competent educators and IT staff, Apple’s iPad is unmatched in terms of portability and effectiveness. By the way, those Apple employees who were responsible for failing to properly guide these schools through this major, very public iPad rollout should be pink-slipped with gusto over this clusterfsck. Adios, you blew it, big time. Healthcare.gov had a smoother rollout. That said, if there is a signed contract with Apple, The company should
sue the everliving shit out oftake appropriate legal action against the Los Angeles Unified School District for every single penny they are owed.Is your kid in the obviously incompetent LA School District? If so, move.
Related articles:
The details about the huge 640,000 iPad rollout in Los Angeles schools – July 26, 2013
Los Angeles schools $30 million iPad deal; LAUSD board voted unanimously for Apple because iPad rated the best – June 21, 2013
Apple stands to make ‘hundreds of millions’ in Los Angeles school deal – June 19, 2013
LA Unified School District awards Apple $30-million contract for iPads as Microsoft whines – June 19, 2013
Apple to offer 10-pack education pricing for ‘iPad mini’ – October 22, 2012
Apple sees schools increasing tablet dominance with iPad in class as ‘iPad mini’ looms – October 22, 2012
Some Aussie schools require all students to own Apple iPads – October 12, 2012
Analyst expects September launch of Apple’s ‘iPad mini’ to boost education sales – June 5, 2012
Illinois elementary school buys 650 iPads for students, 70 MacBook Airs for teachers – June 26, 2012
San Diego Unified School District buys 26,000 Apple iPads; one of the largest K-12 iPad deployments in U.S. – June 26, 2012
Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California to get 1,800 Apple iPads (with video) – March 4, 2012
Apple offering discounted iPad 10-packs for education – March 22, 2010
Madison, Wisconsin schools buy 1,400 Apple iPads – using Microsoft’s money – January 28, 2012
Colorado school goes all-Apple; iPads in classrooms spur student engagement to new heights – January 24, 2012
Student math scores jump 20% with Apple iPad; transforms classroom education – January 20, 2012
Apple reinvents textbooks with iBooks 2 for iPad – January 19, 2012
Schools expect iPads to outnumber personal computers in next five years – October 31, 2011
OSU study finds Apple’s powerful iPad decreases expenses, increases productivity – May 3, 2011
Top 50 Apple iPad rollouts in enterprise and education – June 14, 2011
Growing number of U.S. schools embrace Apple’s revolutionary iPad as learning tool – January 4, 2011
Rising generation of iKids slipping Apple iPads instead of books into school backpacks – December 14, 2010
Steve Jobs met Obama to talk education, energy, job creation – October 22, 2010
Apple’s revolutionary iPad dramatically helps Illinois autistic students – October 15, 2010
University of Leeds gives medical students textbooks on Apple iPhones – September 29, 2010
N.J. schools explore using Apple iPads as teaching devices – September 22, 2010
Students in four California school districts trade textbooks for Apple iPads – September 09, 2010
Scottish school becomes first ‘iSchool’ where Apple’s revolutionary iPad replaces pencil and paper – August 31, 2010
Back to school personal computer sales slow except for Apple’s Mac – August 11, 2010
Incoming UC Irvine medical students to receive Apple iPads – August 06, 2010
New Hampshire school giving Apple iPads to incoming freshmen – June 15, 2010
iPad takes off as flight school teaching tool – May 12, 2010
California’s Monte Vista Christian School first to use Apple iPads in classroom – April 21, 2010
Seton Hill University to give new Apple MacBooks and iPads to every full-time student in fall 2010 – March 30, 2010
Kodiak Alaska school district to bid on upgrading to Apple MacBooks, iPads – March 24, 2010
Apple offering discounted iPad 10-packs for education – March 22, 2010
KeyBookshop has over 18,000 educational e-books ready and waiting for Apple’s iPad – March 16, 2010
Tupelo, Mississippi schools get 5,000 Apple MacBooks – October 29, 2009
Greater Atlanta Christian Schools to equip 1,200 students with new Apple MacBooks – October 29, 2009
Maine expands Apple MacBook program to high schools; 71,000 MacBook order is largest of its kind – June 30, 2009