The Argument for Take-Home Tech in Schools

With more and more technology becoming not just portable, but affordable, the nation’s school systems have been adopting and embracing take-home tech, making tablets and other devices available for students. Not just for after school and weekends, but for summer learning, too. Pilot programs for take-home tech have been tested since the 1990s, but are only now just becoming more common. Back in those days, laptops could be rented for a hefty fee of $2500, with low-income families having the opportunity to apply for a scholarship that they may or may not have gotten. Now, pricing starts closer to $50 annually, though with the help of funding and non-profits, that number can get down to zero. Some school districts have even bought and distributed filtered wireless hot spots via the EveryoneON initiative, providing wireless access for students who may not otherwise have it.

Mike Daugherty, Director of Technology & Information Systems at Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools in Ohio, sends out 1500 Chromebooks a night with students grades 3 through 12. Daugherty (who also runs his own EdTech website, called More Than A Tech) says, “Our students in grades 6-12 are even keeping the device at home over the summer. We felt like sending the device home really helped to extend the walls of the classroom.” Daugherty believes their model can be replicated elsewhere. “We charge parents $50 per year as part of the program. In return, the student gets the Chromebook and can take it home on a regular basis. In addition to helping with out-of-classroom learning and homework, take-home tech can come in handy on snow days, keeping students connected and learning during a big storm.