LM December 2015

Do 1:1 programs really cost more?

program. Two elementary districts responded that they provided students with two devices. In one case, an iPad for use at home and school and a Chromebook for use at school. Another 27 percent were in the process of phasing in a 1:1 program or had a program they defined as “partially implemented.” Several of the partially implemented programs were high schools where 1:1 was being phased in with freshmen and then a new grade level added each year over a four-year period. Eight of the districts identified as “partially implemented” commented they were moving away from BYOD and towards 1:1 programs. Nine percent of the districts were currently in pilot testing with a 1:1 program and another 24 percent were considering 1:1 programs last spring. Of those districts considering a 1:1 program for the future, seven of those 20 respondents who provided additional comments mentioned currently having or considering a BYOD program as well. Forty districts responded that they were not considering a 1:1 program at the time. Of those districts that were not considering a 1:1 program, eight provided comments. Three commented that their fiscal limitations precluded investing in 1:1 technology, another two articulated they relied on class sets of devices, another suggested that the teaching staff in the district wasn’t ready to embrace technology and another seemed to view 1:1 programs as having a potential negative impact on social interactions. Two districts responded they had implemented a 1:1 program, but had cancelled the program due to a lack of success. One of those two districts responded that BYOD was being allowed as an individual option for students. (See Table 1)

Dr. Steven M. Baule is the superintendent for the Muncie Community Schools in Indiana. He previously served as a superintendent, administrator and teacher in Illinois for two decades. This column is based on a research

project he conducted.

Providing each student with an individual digital device has been a trend over the past several years. Many colleges have been one to one (1:1) for years and it is an increasing trend in K-12 education. The U.S. Department of Education initiated the Future Ready Effort to improve access to digital resources, ensure more equitable access, engage parents to support deeper understanding, and to ensure stronger educators. A number of developing nations such as Peru and Uruguay are involved in 1:1 programs on a national scale (Trucano, 2014). One of the key concerns raised is the cost involved in implementing such a program. The cost of the program is often looked at as the reason not to consider 1:1 programs in K-12 education. This is in spite of the fact that Project RED (2010), which stands for Revolutionizing Education, conducted a nation-wide study of technology use in schools in 2010 and found that properly implemented instructional technology actually saved districts money. No comprehensive study had

been done to gauge the level of individual digital device use by students, so in the spring of 2015 a survey was conducted of Illinois public school districts regarding the current status of 1:1 or BYOD programs within each district. The survey received more than 360 responses representing 317 districts, allowing for some generalizations of the status of 1:1 programing in Illinois. Twenty-nine percent of respondents identified their districts as having a fully implemented 1:1

Table 1

16