The district is planning to pay $18.2 million to buy iPads and other technology for classroom use by students. At a school board meeting on Monday, Clements High School students argued against investing in technology that can quickly become outdated.
"Is the district going to continue to use the iPads when they're outdated or are we going to find ourselves spending another $18.2 million when the iPad 6 comes out, and what will they do with the outdated iPads when they upgrade?" Clements High School student Matthew Mutammara asked.
A Fort Bend ISD spokesman says that as regards the technology they choose becoming outdated, the district is working to make sure its focus on this project is far reaching.
Fort Bend ISD issued the following statement:
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"The overall one-time iACHIEVE cost model includes software development, curriculum development and training, curriculum special project coordinators, iPad carts and associated iPads, wireless connectivity and mobile device management (MDM) software for implementation over the anticipated approximate two and one-half year deployment.
Project funding sources are primarily reserve bond funds, technology funds and grant dollars that do not compete with funding salaries for classroom teachers. For this information and more about iACHIEVE, go to http://www.iachieveatfortbendisd.com."
