Harford County Public Schools is continuing its push to encourage students to use their own personal computing devices in the classroom, which is part of the school system's digitalHARFORD initiative to integrate the latest technology into the classroom.
The Bring Your Own Technology program, which involves allowing students to use their personal tablets, laptops and smartphones as part of classroom learning, is part of digitalHARFORD.
Tuesday night, the Board of Education approved a $152,108 contract with Skyline Technology Solutions, of Glen Burnie, to provide an additional 15,000 wireless licenses. The contract was approved unanimously as part of its consent agenda, so there was no discussion.
The licenses will give students access to the HPCS wireless network when using their devices in class.
Teachers and students, dealing with aging computers, and this action took place just weeks after Harford Superintendent Barbara Canavan told members of the Harford County Council in early May, as they reviewed her Fiscal 2016 budget, that the state of technology in her schools is "abysmal."
She said she had launched the Bring Your Own Technology initiative to cope with aging computers, as school system leaders seek funding for the necessary upgrades for computers and their supporting networks.
Started as a pilot program at Edgewood High School in January, Bring Your Own Technology encourages students to bring personal computers, tablets and smart phones to the classroom to do their work.
School officials said iPads and smartphones have been the devices of choices in the early months of the initiative, which they planned to introduce at a few other schools before the end of the current academic year next month.
The licenses approved by the school board Tuesday allow students to register their smartphones or tablets on the school system's network. The additional licenses allow schools to "expand the number of devices attached to the wireless network and to track and manage the devices," according to a report for the school board on the contract.
The school system has 1,000 wireless licenses, Andrew Moore, director of technology for the school system, said in an email before the board meeting. The Harford system has about 38,000 students and 54 schools, a handful with multiple buildings.
The wireless licenses covered by the latest contract would be available for an expansion of Bring Your Own Technology during the 2015-16 school year, Moore said.
Moore said that just about any mobile device with any current operating system can be used to access the wireless network, and the licenses will be available to any school or grade that has implemented Bring Your Own Technology.
"It doesn't tether a student to a desk," he said of wireless technology after the board meeting.
Moore said students can use wireless devices in class once their teachers have obtained clearance from the school principal.
He said students and teachers, who have implemented Bring Your Own Technology, have found multiple uses for the devices.
"Every day they find new ways [to use devices], to do research, to do just-in-time assessments, to create videos," Moore said.
Jillian Lader, HCPS manager of communications, said the devices are being used "everywhere" in schools where they are permitted, from the weight rooms to art classes to English classes.
School officials can monitor the students' activity when they are connected to the HPCS network, according to Moore.
Patrick Spicer, general counsel for HPCS, said "school officials may take action, if the officials have reasonable basis to believe that a student is using his/her technology device in violation of law or our policies."