{"id":85586,"date":"2025-03-25T09:01:33","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T14:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=85586"},"modified":"2025-03-25T09:01:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T14:01:35","slug":"usd-489-board-of-education-approves-new-laptops-for-high-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=85586","title":{"rendered":"USD 489 Board of Education approves new laptops for high school"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By ALICIA FEYERHERM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The USD 489 Board of Education approved the purchase of 1100 Dell laptops during Monday\u2019s meeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before reaching this conclusion, there had been previous discussions earlier this month about replacing the existing laptops with iPads. While iPads are more cost-effective, many students were not in favor of that change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multimedia Editor for the Hays High Guidon Alijah Arias wrote an opinion piece <\/a>saying that many Kansas universities discourage the use of iPads and that in the workforce, very few companies utilize iPads. By switching to iPads, students would not be as prepared for future academic or professional pursuits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Monday\u2019s meeting, Hays High junior Lizzy Vajnar spoke in opposition to iPads. Vajnar referenced an HHS DECA data collection project where a group surveyed 470 Hays High Students. This included students at every grade level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want these students to be heard and recognized,\u201d Vajnar said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the questions asked what technology is used at the students’ parents’ or guardians’ workplaces, and nearly 82% reported using laptops or desktop PCs. Around 84% of students said they prefer laptops over iPads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe support this project more than the iPads that have been proposed to you guys,\u201d Vajnar said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hays High student Mitzi Carrillo also spoke in opposition to iPads citing efficiency and processing speed concerns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI not only speak for myself, but on behalf of all DECA members and Hays High School,\u201d Carrillo said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Board member Ruth Ruder applauded the two students for speaking up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt takes a lot of guts, especially for high school kids, to stand up for what they believe in,\u201d Ruder said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Superintendent Ron Wilson said the recommendation is to purchase 1100 Dell laptops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter those discussions, we really feel like there\u2019s not enough consensus to make that switch (to iPads),\u201d Wilson said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology Director Scott Summers said these new devices would be similar to the devices students currently use, but would be a newer version. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summers said the student survey really steered him away from iPads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was kind of the piece to the puzzle that I was missing,\u201d  Summers said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He did note that the survey showed students wanted a \u201chigh-performance laptop.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat the students are wanting is not what we\u2019re giving them,\u201d Summers said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summers said the Dell devices are basic devices and are not \u201chigh-performance.\u201d  By all specs, the iPad beats the Dell device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A higher performing device, like a Macbook Pro, would cost the district around $856,000 compared to the $605,935 for the Dell devices. With the buyback prices of each device, Summers estimates the cost difference at around $120,000. iPads would be about $250,000 cheaper than the Dell devices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Board member Jayme Goetz asked about remote management and remote monitoring of devices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was the number one thing teachers were talking to me about is unfortunately the cost of academic dishonesty is very high right now,\u201d Goetz said. \u201cAI is very concerning.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summers said he has looked at what other K-12 schools use for monitoring, but was not very impressed with the options. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven the company that we had used many years ago looks like it\u2019s still stuck in the early 2000s,\u201d Summers said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The board approved the purchase of the Dell devices unanimously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other items from the meeting included:
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