1:1 Laptops in High School

[OrganizedPup]

Our fairly new high school is 1:1 with laptops. Unfortunately, there isn't a great organization for them. The first year we had a low enroll so it just happened. The next year it was a free for all, kids would take any computer to use and most of the time they were left all over the school. This last year they put the students' names on them and students were supposed to only use their computer however, we know how that goes. Students were taking other computers, computers went missing, there was no great accountability for them. That brings us to this year. The administrators want to try something different but they're not sure how to go about it. We're also having some turn over in administration and one wants to allow the computers to go home but our head administrator does not. The head honcho does not want to create tech contracts and fees this year so that's off the table. There was talk of putting barcodes on computers and putting the carts throughout the building for students to check-in and out. (Honestly, I'm not quite sure how that would even work or how it would be different than the previous situations.)

Does anyone have any ideas on what we could do?

 

[Jenny]

1:1

Since you are 1:1 anyway, why don't they issue them with logins? Then they can only use their own laptop. It would help with accountability- if a student damages one under your current system they can just put it down and grab another. That must cause issues. Lots of places had contracts the kids and parents have to sign including clauses for taking them home that detail charges for loss or damage. I've never seen a total free for all system like yours before! You might not want to charge rental fees, but surely damage should be paid for. Is the problem that the kids don't want to carry them around all day?
How is the usage monitored? What type of devices are they? How secure are they? There must be some kind of mdm type system that handles purchases and installations and security. Even at high school kids should still have their internet access monitored in some way. Which you can't do without logins or assigned devices. Those systems usually offer some kind of tracking. School owned devices with no tracking or security would be a major no-go here and I'm sure your school has something.

 

[dutchgirl]

We're 1-1 for all middle school and high school. Students and parents sign a contract, and pay an insurance fee. There's a $100 deductible for damage. Laptops are assigned to each student and can go home during the school year. Everyone has their own login assigned. There are electronic security tags affixed to every computer, including teacher laptops. If a laptop goes missing, an alert is remotely put on it that sounds an alarm as soon as it's opened.

I'm sure the tech department put a lot of work into setting this all up, and can't imagine a free for all like you describe. Even in a small school, that's irresponsible.

 

[OrganizedPup]

Let me clarify a little. They’re Chromebooks. Every student has a login. When our high school started (we were already K-8) we started with only 9th and 10th graders and had maybe 50 kids. Computers and responsibility weren’t an issue. Then we expanded to 11th and added more students. With that boom in enrollment, I think the issue with computers was overlooked a little (bc many things our kids never do anything wrong *insert eyeroll*). I don’t really know but I had nothing to do with technology at the high school level.

We do not have a tech dept per-say. This past 2 years it was just me and one other person and we were both classroom teachers (elementary) at the time. The head administrator would never pay to put security on the computers. Yes it’s irresponsible but I’m not in charge and I can not control that. I was looking for ideas, not to be attacked because of the free for all it has been.

 

[dutchgirl]

I’m sorry if you felt I attacked you. I was sharing what my district does as a suggestion, and never meant to attack. We have MacAirs, and may be more strict because they’re pricy!

I think it would be important to have a contract for each student and some insurance for damages, because damage will happen! If you pm me, I can send you a copy of the contract we use.

 

[Jenny]

Chrome books make everything a lot easier in terms of management and security. Chrome books should have chrome licences, which make security a lot easier. They are free where I live for schools. And in the admin console you can lock them down too, so as long as someone has that under control you should be fine from that point of view. At the very least they should be locked to your domain. If you aren't able to pay for any thing though, especially someone's time, then no solution will be easy to implement sadly.