With the implementation of the new 1:1 Chromebook policy at LT, students have wider access to technology both in the classroom and at home. This is a new concept put in place at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year. 

With this new program, every LT student is able to utilize technology for classes each day. All students now have full access to any digital programs that they may need for their classes. Prior to the current school year, students without personal computers would have to find other ways to complete online assignments, like visiting libraries. Due to COVID-19, this is more difficult than before, because public library hours vary and that gives students less time to complete assignments. 

While some students do not need Chromebooks provided by the school, if the school were to only provide Chromebooks to those who needed them, it would be unfair. It’s difficult for students without a computer to have access to the computers at LT; this way LT can get a computer for each student and not a miscellaneous amount for the students with no computers. The safest way to provide computers to those without them is to give every student a computer. This way, no one could possibly be forgotten.

Students who already have laptops at home can benefit from this new policy too. Bringing one specific laptop to school every day is useful and makes it less likely to forget a computer at home. This heightens the number of students prepared for the day and utilizes class time better. The new 1:1 laptop policy also provides easier access to high-quality WiFi that personal laptops brought to school may not have access to. With the Chromebook WiFi, students no longer have to hope that there is service in each classroom, and can submit assignments with ease. Computers from home could disconnect and passwords could be forgotten, whereas the school-provided Chromebooks are always logged in to the proper WiFi at school.

Students use their Chromebook in every classroom. Teachers utilize the computers more because they decrease paper waste and it is much easier to upload an article or assignment onto Canvas as opposed to printing everything out.

Before the 1:1 plan, if a lesson plan needed a computer, teachers would have to get a laptop cart and push it to their classroom or move classes to the Discovery Center. Moving to the Discovery Center is hard to remember, and many students could be late if they forgot where classes were meeting. Now that LT has the 1:1 plan, computer usage is easier for teachers and students alike.

While the Chromebook fee is something that adds extra cost, it is actually less expensive than other school’s technology fees. An email sent out to parents detailed the $150 technology fee including insurance, protective cases, and the computers themselves. On average, other schools typically charge around $175. For schools that do not have a separate technology fee, their registration can be at least $300, whereas LT’s registration fee only costs $25. This technology fee is very affordable compared to other schools, especially when registration fees are involved as well.