Putnam County’s efforts to maintain a one device per student ratio may be slowed by this year’s tight budget.
Putnam County School Director Corby King said getting new devices for high school students had been a budget priority for this year.
“We’re going to have to move to get some replacement Chromebooks at the high school level somewhere, somehow,” King said. “And we were hoping a one-to-one lease this yes is what we were going to do, doesn’t look positive at the moment, but again, that depends on how much help we can get from the county commission before that happens.”
King said the school system is reaching a critical need based on the age of the current computers.
“We bought, basically, got our high schools to a position where they were in a one-to-one position with ESSER money, which was one time funds,” King said. “But those are five years old now, four or five and they’re getting to the end of life expectancy.”
King said the system’s middle and elementary schools fund their computer equipment differently.
“Most of those are title funded schools and we’re able to use the federal funds, the title funds, to keep our Chromebooks on a replacement cycle at those buildings and keep technology a little more up to date,” King said. “So, our high schools are the primary target for one-to-one, when we talk about that.”
King said the system is moving more toward a lease model with its technology because of the benefits it provides with lifespan and simple repairs and maintenance.
