Aging Chromebooks and mounting repair costs are a driving force behind one Texas school district switching to iPad and Apple's more economical over time MacBook Neo.
Beaumont Independent School District's board approved a four-year, $11.19 million lease for 14,585 Apple devices. The district expects annual payments of about $2.8 million to replace aging equipment used by students and teachers.
The lease, reported by Beaumont Enterprise, includes 4,085 iPads for pre-K through second grade and 9,500 MacBook Neos for older students. Teachers within the school district will receive 1,000 MacBook Neo laptops under the agreement.
Deputy superintendent Rachel Harrah said nearly two-thirds of the district's devices are beyond their recommended life cycle. The district reported more than 6,600 repairs last year and spent nearly $470,000 in repair and support costs across several reporting periods.
Currently, the district primarily uses Chromebooks. Harrah has said current devices are becoming increasingly difficult to repair, with replacement part costs well over $100 per piece in some cases.
"It's almost half a million dollars just supporting a fleet that is barely moving or working," said Harrah.
Additionally, the district is trying to be more forward-thinking. It would rather students get practical experience on devices that are used within the workplace.
"There is not one environment in the workplace that uses a Chromebook," Harrah said.
The district also compared MacBook Neo with Lenovo and Asus models, reporting lower four-year costs for Apple's option. Harrah pointed to 0% laptop financing, 0.99% iPad financing, AppleCare+ access, and potential resale proceeds as reasons for her recommendation.
The first payment will come from district reserves, with later payments drawing on existing revenue and replacement budgets. Officials plan to evaluate the devices after four years and could postpone replacement if their condition allows.
