Subject:  Enabling New Learning Opportunities with Age-Appropriate Devices at PreK-2 Grade Level

Staff Contact: 

Noel Klimenko, assistant superintendent, Instructional Services Department (ISD)

Gautam Sethi, assistant superintendent & chief information officer, Information Technology (IT)

Other Staff Present

Sloan Presidio, chief academic officer

Marty Smith, chief operating officer

Leigh Burden, assistant superintendent, Financial Services

Maura Burke, director, Early Childhood Curriculum, ISD

Tracey Jewell, director, Support Services, IT

Meeting Category:  January 18, 2022 Work Session

School Board Action Required: Discussion

Key Points:

FCPS received approval for a reimbursement grant from the Federal Communications Commission under the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) to purchase sufficient and appropriate devices to support learning at school or at home for PreK - 2 students. FCPS would use the grant funds to refresh aging classroom student devices for our youngest learners.

The proposal includes purchasing more age-appropriate iPad devices with keyboard case for students in grades PreK and K, and standard Windows laptop devices for students in grades 1 and 2.

FCPS would invest one-time funds of $2.1M from the FY22 School Board Flexibility Reserve to support the basic device purchase and request another $1.8M in FY22 year-end, one-time funds to support the long-term warranty/repair and supplemental hardware purchase.

Recommendation:

School Board approve the purchase of up to 43,000 devices at the total cost of $18.4M with the local share of $2.1 million to be funded from School Board Flexibility Reserve and upon delivery file for reimbursement with the ECF grant fund for $16.3M.

Attachments:

Proposal-PreK-2 Instructional Opportunities with New Technology Devices

Presentation-- PreK-2 Instructional Opportunities with New Technology Devices