Horry County Schools changes iPad policy for middle school students

Middle school students in Horry County will no longer be able to take their district-provided iPads home next year because they are getting damaged too often and students have been using them to download games and for other personal use, according to a policy change announced this week.

Horry County Schools announced the change in an email to parents of middle school students, saying the change comes after “review of the middle school iPad program this past year related to breakage and use away from school.”

“The whole issue of appropriate use outside of school became a problem with administration in middle schools, and we also had a higher number of cracked screens throughout the year than we thought we should,” said Edward Boyd, chief accountability and information officer.

“We thought it would be better to revert back to where we were the first year, when students could not take their devices home,” he said.

The iPad program is part of the district’s Personal Digital Learning, or PDL, initiative, which aims to give each student access to a digital device and content over three years. District officials hope the program enhances student learning and raises test scores over the next few years.

Middle school students were given iPads in January 2014 and parents were given the option to pay a $25 “technology fee,” which covers some repair or replacement costs for the devices. The fee was originally $50 but was changed last school year, Boyd said.

The fee also allowed students to take home their iPads.

“It was very hard for us to distinguish who had permission to take the devices home and who didn’t,” said Whittemore Park Middle School principal Judy Beard.

“Some children are very tech savvy, so even though it was nice for them to have an iPad at home, they weren’t always using them for academic reasons,” she said. “We wanted to try and eliminate that distraction.”

Students were using the iPads to download games, apps and to take personal photos, Boyd said.

Beard said middle school principals instigated the change due to breakage and misuse of the iPads during the school year. Teachers and administrators wanted to “slow down a bit and get a handle on how we should use them academically,” she said. Boyd said Wednesday that he didn’t know how much the district had spent repairing the devices.

The change also stems from the amount of damaged screens officials had to repair throughout the year; much of the breakage probably happened when students transported their devices to and from school, Beard said.

“It became critical for us to spend a lot of time talking about the device and how to take care of it,” Beard said.

The rule change shouldn’t have an impact on curriculum, Beard said.

Some parents are concerned about how students will complete homework assignments without taking home their devices. Amanda Hall Turner, who commented on The Sun News’ Facebook post about the rule change, questioned why parents should still pay the insurance fee while losing the ability to take the iPads home.

“How are they supposed to do their homework?” Turner said. “Last year so many of their assignments were done on the iPad. I don't see why they want us to pay the $25 if they can't bring them home.”

Mindi Ellison, who also commented on Facebook, said the rule change will be beneficial.

“Well, at least I don't have to worry about keeping it charged and running it to the school when she forgets it!” Ellison commented.

Parents who paid the $25 fee during registration can request a refund through the district’s website at refund.horrycountyschools.net. Parents who wish to keep their students’ devices insured do not have to do anything, Boyd said.

Boyd and Beard encouraged parents to still invest in the insurance fee to save on possible repair costs later. Costs of repairs can start at $100 and total up to $600, Boyd said.

“I think, financially, it’s a good idea,” Boyd said.

This story was originally published July 22, 2015 at 1:13 PM with the headline "Horry County Schools changes iPad policy for middle school students."