La Porte ISD administrators gave a status report on the district's student technology initiative during the Nov. 8 meeting of the LPISD Board of Trustees.
According to Linda Wadleigh, deputy superintendent, the district is developing a plan for providing additional technology devices, either netbooks or small laptop computers, to students at both the elementary and secondary levels. A request for competitive sealed proposals has been advertised and will be reviewed after the proposal opening on Nov. 29. A finalized recommendation will be presented to the Board of Trustees on Dec. 8, with the current plan to distribute the devices to the schools sometime in the spring of 2012.
Two models for distribution of the devices are being considered at this time. The "saturation model," for example, would enable a device to be assigned to each student at Baker Sixth Grade Campus and each ninth grader at La Porte High School.
The "distributive lab model" would provide devices to the campuses so that they can be checked out for use for instruction in a classroom lab setting. Elementary campuses would receive one device for every five students, and both junior high schools would receive five classroom sets of the devices.
Initial deployment of the initiative will be at the elementary level, with secondary campuses to follow.
As decisions are made regarding the initiative, LPISD will communicate with parents through letters, press releases, and the district website. Parent/student meetings will also be held, particularly for those who will have devices assigned to them. |
