MARSHFIELD, Wis. (WSAU) — A ten year, $4.5 million dollar plan to provide students in the Marshfield School District with iPads was OK’d at a special session of the district’s Board of Education Monday night, and district administrators say the new program will provide as many as 3900 iPads to students in the district for their personal academic use.
The program is being called a “one-on-one personal learning” initiative, and following approval of the measure by a vote of four to one, School Board President Marlene Stueland said the district can now move forward with ordering iPads for Kindergarten through 8th grade. When fully implemented by 2019, the program will also include grades 9 though 12. The iPads will be leased to the district, and 1300 devices will be replaced every year of a three year “cycle,” for a total of around 3900 new iPads. The devices will be turned in for new ones after three years of use.
Monday night’s special session was called to take advantage of discount pricing on the devices which is only available through March 22, and Technology Director Mike Drevlow says at the reduced price, the iPads will cost around $400 each. The first year of the program will cost an estimated $370,000, but Business Services Director Pat Saucerman says cost savings this year due to mild winter weather should help launch the program. The ten year price tag for the program will be about $4.5 million dollars, and will require the addition tot he district of a new Technology Integration Specialist.
Board member Mary Carney cast the only “No” vote because of concerns about both the technology, and the program’s expense. That technology upgrade comes amidst discussions about a possible upcoming funding referendum for the Marshfield School District, perhaps as soon as this coming fall.
by Terry Pezl, WSAU
