L.A. Now Live: LAUSD moves forward with trimmed-down iPad plan
Join Times staff writer Howard Blume for an L.A. Now Live discussion at 9 a.m. about L.A. Unified’s ideas to move forward with a trimmed-down iPad plan.
The iPads have been highly controversial and the latest news — that the Board of Education agreed Tuesday to move ahead with a modified version of the project — will significantly affect students, faculty and parents.
Blume reported that during a heated debate over the $1-billion project, board members raised numerous concerns, including whether the contract with Apple should be reconsidered and whether high schools should be provided laptops instead of tablets.
The decision, by a 6-1 vote that left no one happy, means that the distribution of iPads can continue as planned by schools Supt. John Deasy for this year. He had previously decided to scale back his original timetable after problems emerged during the rollout on 47 campuses this fall.
As a result of the board action, 35 campuses will receive iPads this year in addition to the 47 schools in the first group. Continuing the effort gained traction in large measure because L.A. Unified staff asserted that the devices to be purchased represented the minimum number necessary for students to take new state standardized tests in the spring.
During the L.A. Now Live chat, Blume will get to as many questions from readers as he can.
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