Beginning spring of 2016, the incoming freshman class will have the option to rent laptops from the district. Students will be able to use these Windows-based laptops to access online textbooks, work on or off campus and complete school-related projects according to campus technologist, Dawn Altman.

This January, 1,600 devices were deployed to sixth and ninth graders at three pilot campuses — Henry Middle School, Canyon Ridge Middle School and Leander High School.

“If [the pilot campuses] go well, Leander ISD will begin to roll out to all sixth through 12th graders over the next few years, beginning with the VRHS freshman class in the spring,” Sarah Martinez, director for Information Technology Services said.

Six-hundred students from the three pilot schools along with freshmen on campus will be a part of the 2,100 students testing the new laptops. To determine the best way to replace aging technology resources, Martinez said the technology department worked closely with the secondary curriculum coordinators and specialists for different content areas, campus administrators, teachers and students focus groups to determine the functionality needed.

“After collecting this information and evaluating a wide variety of devices, it was determined that the convertible, Windows-based, touch-screen was the only option that met the requirements from all content areas,” Martinez said.

The district went through a competitive bid process which determined if the laptops met the usage and functions for administrators, teachers and students. The Lenovo Yoga ThinkPad 11e Convertible was selected for purchase. Similar to the devices already installed on campus, the laptops are able to access Internet programs and basic software. In comparison with desktops on campus, the laptops offer touch screen capability and apps like Skype or a digital contact list, creating easier ways to interact with teachers and students alike.

With the textbook and technology budget now combined by the state, the school’s textbooks are becoming older and harder to replace. The devices themselves will provide students with updated versions of the textbooks, giving students easy access to finish homework and projects.

However, the laptop rollout will come at a price. Students will be charged $70 to rent one ThinkPad for a year, and it will be $35 for those on free and reduced lunch.

“The money covers warranty, issues with  the device and if needed, replacement,” Altman said. “Remember this is optional, meaning students do not need to use the district’s device, but at some point students will need to have some type of device for classroom use, and Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) is still encouraged.”

Students will be able to check out laptops like borrowing books from the campus library. The laptops can be rented and used at home before returning them the next day. If not returned the following day, the student will have to a pay a fee. Students also cannot install any software, games or files to the computer, unless the software or apps are intended for classroom use.

Freshman Genesis Espinoza is part of the laptop pilot program at Leander High School.

“The laptops have been more helpful than I would’ve thought,” Espinoza said. “My teachers make us use it at least once a day. I can’t stress enough how much I’ve gotten used to typing notes down while my teachers talk. I think that it’s helping me get better overall in note taking and multitasking.”

Teachers on campus have already completed district-wide technology training and are currently using laptop carts as class sets. All teacher desktop computers will be removed from classrooms this summer, and teachers were issued a ThinkPad to use in their place.

To accommodate increased technology use, the wifi will be updated over the summer to create better wireless flow within the infrastructure. Altman said the current wifi is similar to cramming six lanes of traffic into two. She said the wifi update should provide four to five lanes for traffic.

Nevertheless, some staff members have concerns about how students will care for the laptops. Since students are responsible for taking care of their own laptop, digital graphics and animation teacher Karen Koster said the chances of students forgetting the laptop at home or misplacing it are higher.

Even so, the laptop rollout is the beginning of a district-wide technological shift.

“I am very excited for the new technology to come in,” librarian Melokka Spittler said. “Big changes are ahead. The preliminary feedback from students, teachers and parents is overwhelmingly positive. We are excited to be off to such a great start.”

See the LISD Presentation of 2014/2015 Proposed Budget for more information on LISD School Budgeting and Tax Rates and mLISD Pilot Campus Handbook for more information on Fees & Accidental Damage, Lost and Theft.