With the recent budget cuts and layoffs in the San Diego Unified School District, it comes to no surprise that many people are concerned about the purchase of brand, new iPads.
SDUSD received a $15 million bond for an initiative that will provide more than 25,000 iPads to 3rd through 6th grade classrooms, plus some high school classrooms.
The initiative will use bond money specifically set aside for technology.
Math and social studies teachers will be the first to integrate the new iPads into their lesson plans.
“It is an initiative that really set out to transform our classrooms, and it is money that can't be spent on teachers, staff or even materials in general for the school district,” says SDUSD’s Chief Information and Technology Officer Darryl LaGace.
Community members originally voted for this bond in 2008. The iPads will be distributed to a total of 840 classrooms in the district.
During the first phase, more than 340 classrooms will get their new iPads by the end of July. In september, 500 more will be distributed.
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A similar plan was recently approved by boardmembers in the Sweetwater Union High School District. The board voted to divert $4 million per year initiative to fund the new ipads for all incoming 7th graders.
Administrators with the Sweetwater school district say using the iPads instead of textbooks will actually save the school money, since they won't have to buy expensive textbooks for their students.
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