Minnetonka Issues iPads to All 9th and 10th Graders

In addition to all ninth graders, every 10th grade student and teacher at will be issued an iPad for educational use next school year.

Earlier this month, the Minnetonka School Board unanimously approved another expansion of the MHS 1:1 iPad Pilot. With a full-year pilot nearing completion in June, the data from the year show positive academic achievement gains, with fewer D's and F's and more A's and B's, especially in mathematics. Student collaboration, engagement and homework completion are also markedly higher, according to the Minnetonka School District.

The district is saving on textbook costs, said Eric Schneider, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction.

“If you think about the amount we spend on instructional materials at the secondary level, it’s in the ball park of $250,000,” Schneider said. “We anticipate moving forward that amount to be reduced down to $50,000, and that could be a conservative estimate.”

Using web-based resources, the teachers are creating their own “textbooks” on the iPads.

Schools eveywhere are still investing piles of money into paper textbooks, but Schneider said “For us to be breaking free of that is the right thing to do."

In 2012-13, for now a one-year expansion of the project, incoming ninth graders will receive a new iPad. This year's ninth graders will turn in their iPads at the end of the school year, just like they would do with a textbook. 

Technology staff will work over the summer to update the operating system and add new apps to the devices for students in the fall. Since all of their data is saved, students are able to access the information they create on the iPad from any computer or tablet with internet access. They will receive a different iPad when they return to school in the fall.

in 2011-12, each of the 770 iPads cost about $578 per device. In 2012-13, the projected cost per iPad is $379, reducing the cost per device by $200.

"It's hard to predict where this market is going to go," Schneider said. "We feel confident that this is within our reach."

The District has made arrangements within the technology levy budget to cover the $369,400 for next year's plan.

"I'm very supportive of this, and I think it's a great tool," said School Board Vice Chair Lisa Wagner.

The District has put significant effort into training staff how to use the iPads in their classrooms. Wagner asked if staff who are trained on using the iPads are missing out on other important training.

"There's always a limit on how much training we can do," Schneider said. "I'd have a hard time putting anything above this as a priority. This is the most game-changing."

As for cyber security, the district has a dedicated server to track individual iPad use.

“If a student manipulates their iPad profile, we know immediately," Schneider told the School Board.

The App Store is not available on the iPads, and only district-approved apps are available.

This school year, there was only one lost, one stolen and 14 damaged iPads. Parents are billed for damages, as they would be for textbooks.

“Students are rising up to the responsibility,” Schneider said. “Damaged textbook costs will almost definitely exceed the damaged iPad cost at the ninth grade level. That almost confirms that students are respecting these devices.”

In the fall of the 2011-12 school year, Minnetonka Public Schools launched a 1:1 iPad computing pilot with half of the ninth grade class. The pilot was part of the District's strategy to advance innovative approaches to teaching and learning. Based on initial results, the pilot was expanded to include the entire ninth grade in January 2012.

[Watch freshman iPad video]

Do you think issuing iPads to all ninth and 10th graders is the right move by the District?