NJ schools ask students to bring their own technology

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when bringing a cellphone or other hand-held digital device to school could earn a kid detention or a visit to the principal's office. Today, however, many schools aren't just allowing kids to tote their tablets, smartphones and laptops to class — they're asking students to bring in their technology.

School officials say the push will help districts save on increasingly costly technology budgets and help educators meet new, stepped-up academic standards that rely heavily on technology. So-called Bring Your Own Technology, or BYOT, programs are on the rise, experts say, particularly as 23 percent of American teens have a tablet computer, 47 percent have smartphones, and 78 percent have cellphones, according to a Pew Research Center study. Educators say bring-your-own programs will help bridge the digital divide, not widen it. Schools in Middletown (NJ), for example, spent $3.9 million to increase bandwidth and provide devices for students who don't own one. The district has purchased 510 iPads and 2,644 ChromeBooks for students from kindergarten through high school. That purchase, along with the district's desktops, provides a device for nearly every student.