Not everyone is convinced that what works best for businesses will produce the best results in schools.
“We’re a business, if [the governor] wants to use that metaphor. Our business is teaching and learning, and we have to have the best tools we can get to accomplish our mission,” said Crystal Priest, district technology coordinator in SAD 4 in Guilford, who suggested the best solution might vary from district to district.
Maine, the only state to provide laptops to public school students statewide, worked with Hawaii and Vermont to negotiate the contract focusing on five different laptops and tablets.
All of them passed muster, but Maine selected the HP as its preferred vendor.
The weekend announcement that HP, at $254 per PC per year under a four-year lease, won the competition means its laptops will be fully funded by the state for all seventh- and eighth-graders in public schools. The state will leverage its buying power for high schools, about half of which participate.
Apple’s iPad tablet came in $217 per device. Other choices were the Apple MacBook Air, the HP ElitePad Tablet, and a laptop by CTL. Networking is an additional cost.
School districts can choose one of the other options, paying the difference if necessary. An Apple representative told Priest that its lowest price would be honored even though it’s not the preferred vendor.
Apple had no comment.
School administrators don’t have time to waste in coming to a final decision. Decisions must be made quickly to ensure the computers or tablets are delivered before the fall.
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