It would be interesting to know what accessibility plans this school
district has made.



May 8, 2001

Education: School District Buys 23,000 Laptops

By REBECCA S. WEINER

   A school district's order for new books is rarely met with the buzz
   this year's purchase is generating among teachers and students in
   Richmond, Va. But these are no ordinary books.

   The Henrico County Public Schools recently placed what is believed to
   be one of the largest orders ever for computers by a school district.
   Its 23,000 new Apple iBook laptops will be enough for every teacher
   and student in its middle and high schools.

   "It's a far reaching opportunity to do something different," Henrico
   High School Principal Harry Simmons said. "I fully understand the
   change."

   Unveiled last week by Apple chief executive Steven P. Jobs, the first
   shipment of the 4.9-pound laptops will reach high school teachers next
   week. Simmons said the district is planning a celebration to mark the
   arrival of the laptops that he sees as a sign of the future of
   teaching and learning. The principal said he hopes a similar level of
   hoopla will surround the distribution of the students' computers this
   fall.

   "This is the first time we've had distribution of this magnitude,"
   said district Superintendent Mark Edwards. "We really feel like this
   will be the direction of the country."

   Henrico High School tenth grader Bill Humphrey said he cannot wait to
   get his new laptop in the fall. He said the only students complaining
   are those in middle school who have to wait until the 2002 school year
   to get their computers.

   "The teenage generation now, all we do is computers," he said. With
   the new laptops, "we'll be more inclined to do school work." "We can
   do our homework while online and talking to our friends or surfing the
   Internet," added Humphrey.

   The district already has about 18,000 desktop computers, as well as a
   cart of laptops with wireless connections that teachers can check out
   at each high school, Edwards said. And a number of the district's
   administrative functions, such as grading and attendance, are already
   done electronically.

   By giving each student and teacher a laptop that they can use at home
   and at school, teachers will finally be able to fully integrate
   technology into the curriculum knowing that each student has access to
   the same equipment, Simmons said. Currently, teachers have to alter
   assignments to allow more in-class research time because not every
   student has access to a computer or Internet connection at home.

   "What you have to do is tailor your plans and assignments," Simmons
   said. "If you give a research assignment, you have to factor in class
   time so students can get to the library."

   Henrico High School art instructor Jeff Hall said he has a set of
   laptops that his students can currently use in the classroom, but
   added that students are always begging to take the machines home with
   them. By giving every student and teacher a laptop, teachers could
   promote more engaged learning, Hall said.

   "I want to do more active learning," he said. "If I'm standing up in
   front of the class and talking, I'm going to lose some of them. They
   have to be actively involved."

   Since teachers will be getting their computers early, they will have
   the summer to decide how to use them in their courses for next year,
   Simmons said. Edwards added that the district would provide training
   over the summer and offer stipends so teachers could purchase
   additional training online.

   The district is using a combination of federal, state and local funds,
   plus grants, to fund the laptop purchase and service contract from
   Apple. Edwards added that increased use of software and CD-ROM-based
   textbooks will save the district money, helping to offset the cost of
   the laptops. "We will not be purchasing as many textbooks," he said.
   "We're not spending as much on paper. We're reallocating resources. We
   can do online testing assessments."

   Simmons said that health, social studies and physical education
   courses will be the first put onto CD-ROM, with others to follow as
   the courses are developed. Teachers will use a combination of
   purchased software packages and resources they compile.

   "It's not going to be 'one day we won't have books,'" Edwards said.
   "Over time, we'll reduce [textbooks] as a primary platform. We have a
   lot of people complaining about 50-pound backpacks."

   Humphrey, the 10th-grade student, is hardly complaining about a
   shrinking number of textbooks. To the contrary, he eagerly explained,
   it will be hard to wait all summer before he can get his new laptop.

   "I think I'm the most excited of everyone," he said.