Horry County School Board of Education approves PDL expansion to 5th grade only
The Horry County Board of Education voted Monday to expand the Personalized Digital Learning, or PDL, initiative – which gives each student a digital device – to fifth grade only.
The board voted 7-4 to expand PDL to just fifth graders after several weeks of debate. Pam Timms, district 6, was not present for the vote.
The board’s original plan was to give each student in grades three through five a device, which was recommended by the district, but several board members were worried about expanding too quickly.
“I just think we still need a little more time to make sure we’re working at a better level on middle and high schools before giving it to all elementary schools,” said Janice Morreale, district five representative. Morreale made the motion to expand the devices to only fifth grade. Holly Heniford, district 1, seconded Morreale’s motion.
“I want our children to be educated, but I want them to have the right tools,” Henford said.
The four members who dissented to the vote were: Janet Graham, district 7; John Poston, district 8; Neil James, district 10; and Jeffrey Garland, district 11. All said they wanted to expand the initiative to grades three through five, since that was the original plan. Garland garnered applause for his comments from the more than 100 teachers, staff and principals who packed the board chambers.
“Putting this off, changing it to just grade five, is just kicking the can down the road,” Garland said. “We need to do this now.”
Garland argued that technology giants Dell and Apple committed to helping the district roll out devices to all applicable grade levels next year, which should smooth out some of the problems seen in the past two years. Chairman Joe DeFeo said the initiative has already cost the district $1 million more than originally promised, moving the third through fifth grade total to $6 million.
“This isn’t a matter of kicking it down the road, this is a matter of doing it right,” DeFeo said. “There have been too many problems, too many complaints, from my standpoint”
Graham argued that money shouldn’t prevent all students from getting a device.”
“We can come up with the money – we have money in other places,” Graham said.
The district expects fifth graders to receive the devices in September of next year, DeFeo said. Roll out to third and fourth graders hasn’t yet been set.
District officials expect the PDL initiative – which aims to give each student access to a digital device and content over three years – to enhance student learning and raise test scores over the next few years. Middle school students received Apple iPads in 2013 and high school students were given Dell Venue tablets in August 2014.
District staff asked teachers in grades three to five what digital device they would prefer in the classroom, and 59 percent asked for Apple iPads.
Two people spoke in favor of the PDL program during the meeting’s public comments section. Renee Mencken, parent, said the teachers and staff of Horry’s elementary schools are ready for device-driven learning.
“The PDL would allow us to use the programs that we currently use and new digital ones at their full potential,” Mencken said.
Jane Pearce, Aynor resident and mother of two, said digital content gives all students an equal opportunity later in life.
“If we help [students] and give them the education they need, they will be set to compete at any level … no matter where they live,” Pearce said.
The PDL initiative is funded through penny sales tax revenue, according to Charles Hucks, executive director of technology for the district. Board of Education members met with technology experts before approving $7.8 million budget for PDL in June 2013.
The initiative was launched in January 2014, giving iPads to all middle school students. High school focus groups opted for Dell Venue – a tablet with storage capability and a keyboard – which were distributed in the fall of 2014.
The district allows parents to pay an optional $50 insurance fee to cover one repair per year. Students who pay the fee can also take home their devices. Those without insurance are required to pay repair costs, even if the breakage occurs in school, said Edward Boyd, chief accountability and information officer for the school district. If the device cannot be repaired, parents must pay for the total cost of replacement.
Mencken, parent, said she doesn’t mind the insurance fee because she’s saved over $50 in school project supplies this year. Students create websites or use free programs online rather than spend money on construction paper, she said.
“I know that Horry County Schools is not afraid to take chances – we are always willing to lead the way,” Mencken said.
This story was originally published February 23, 2015 at 8:34 PM with the headline "Horry County School Board of Education approves PDL expansion to 5th grade only."