District Considers Purchase of Google Chromebooks

The Huntington School District is considering the purchase of Google Chromebooks for use by all of its third graders next year. Funds are currently available to obtain the devices should officials decide to move forward with the initiative. “By purchasing Google Chromebooks, we will accomplish two goals,” Assistant Superintendent Kenneth A. Card, Jr. said. “First, students and teachers will begin to use the technology in an integrated manner to ensure students are developing the appropriate skills they will need as digital natives in the 21st century. Secondly, students will be prepared to take a computer based test if and when the state decides to adopt the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Common Core assessments that will be administered online.” A Chromebook is a personal computer that utilizes the Google Chrome operating system. “The devices are designed to be used while connected to the internet and support applications that reside on the Web, rather than traditional PC applications like Microsoft Office and Photoshop that reside on the machine itself,” Dr. Card said. The district has available in a curriculum and instruction textbook code the monies to purchase hundreds of Chromebooks. “The funds were originally earmarked for the purchase of Common Core aligned resources,” Dr. Card said. “However, we will most likely adopt a consumable textbook in math and the building principals will use workbook funds to purchase the new materials.” Ken Wager, the state’s associate commissioner of education in the office of curriculum, assessment and technology has indicated “that it would be permissible for districts to use allocated textbook funds to purchase devices that support the integration of instructional technology and the infusion of key 21st century learning skills in the classroom,” Dr. Card said. Superintendent James W. Polansky stressed that no decision has been made about moving forward with purchase of the computer equipment. The district also does not want there to be any misconceptions should it decide to acquire the Google Chromebooks. “It should not be construed that we are purchasing the devices for the purpose of testing,” Dr. Card said. “But rather, we will be prepared to administer the online assessments given that the device is one of the recommended tools and the students will have exposure to using the devices in multiple ways.”