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District 127 expanding student laptop program

Grayslake High School District 127 is expanding a program that provides laptop computers to students for use in classes or at home.

School board members Thursday night approved the four-year lease of 720 Acer Chromebooks to match the number of projected incoming freshmen at Grayslake Central and North high schools for the 2017-18 academic season. The district will pay $242,467 for the equipment.

Each Chromebook includes Google management, a 15-month accidental damage policy and replacement battery. Students are supposed make payments toward the device over their four years at the school.

District 127 Associate Superintendent Michael Zelek said school funds cover the devices given to students on free or reduced-cost lunch programs. Zelek added that a district credit card providing 1 percent cash back on purchases will be used for new batch of Chromebooks, meaning a $2,424 rebate will be received.

Renee Zoladz, associate superintendent of instructional and personnel services, said a survey was conducted on the issue of the district receiving payments from the students, who eventually own the Chromebooks. She said the results will be part of a Chromebook presentation in May.

"We have people on all ends of the continuum," Zoladz said. "We have some people who don't like it. ... We received a lot of positive feedback from parents, too."

District 127 launched what's called the "1:1" computer initiative with about 1,450 freshmen and sophomores receiving the Chromebooks for the 2016-17 academic year. The goal is to outfit every student with the lightweight, wireless laptop produced by several companies, but all using Google's Chrome operating system.

Director of Curriculum and Instruction Tracey Landry said teachers of juniors and seniors have access to Chromebooks that may be checked out for class use.

An extended pilot program for the Chromebooks began about three years ago in selected classrooms at Grayslake North and Central.

Proponents say the Chromebooks have fostered improved student communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.

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