Forty school districts in the state of Iowa are currently using a “one-to-one” laptop program and Knoxville hopes to be added to that list in the near future. The school board, administration team and technology committee have been researching a lease-purchase program through Apple Education for several months now and hope to provide laptops for all teachers, administrators and students in grades 6-12 by September.

A list of benefits the program offers has been identified including increased student engagement, improved writing skills, increased accessibility to information and additional opportunities for collaboration both locally and around the world.

Some have questioned the need for laptops when the district has been forced to make cuts over the past few years, however it’s important to note that funds for this program can not be used for textbooks, materials or personnel costs. The money will come from the district’s physical plant fund through money received through Iowa’s Secure an Advanced Vision for Education fund which comes from state sales taxes.

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