MANCHESTER, NH – On Tuesday, the Manchester Board of School Committee is expected to receive an update on the state of Chromebooks within the Manchester School District (MSD).
As of Oct. 6, MSD documents report that 1,241 Chromebooks checked out by students over the past two years have not been accounted for, with an approximate replacement cost of $473,750. In July, the replacement cost figure was estimated at $727,950 to replace Chromebooks not returned as of that point.
From various federal donations over the past two years such as the CARES Act and ESSER funding, MSD has received over $3.3 million to purchase 6,663 Chromebooks and is set to receive another 4,188 from the federal government as part of the FCC Emergency Connectivity Fund.
MSD IT Director Stephen Cross is expected to discuss that influx of slowly returning Chromebooks as well as those lost and the just under 500 Chromebooks still in need of repair as well as policies requiring monetary compensation from families who lose, don’t return, or mistreat the Chromebooks.
Cross is also expected to discuss new methods to track Chromebooks in the hopes of preventing further missing devices as well as efforts to maintain the current supply of Chromebooks in the district.