1:1 Student Device Program

Students in middle school and high school will be assigned a specific chromebook for the whole school year.  They will take the chromebook home with them and to school each day.
 

There are a number of benefits to the 1:1 device program:

• Provide equal opportunities for all students to have access to technology
• Students already have an assigned device at home in the event of future remote learning, such as due to a re-surge in Covid-19.
• Teachers are able to assign work using technology since they know students have access to a device at home.
• Prepare students better for their future by allowing them to work like people do in college, the work force, or trade schools with access to a computer and the responsibility for it.
• Expands the learning environment beyond the classroom and allows for collaboration on work outside of school
• Meet the recommended strategic goal in the state's Texas Education Agency Long-Range Plan for Public Education 2018-2023 of "Equitable access at schools and at home"

Watch a short video from a teacher at Hutto Middle School about how the 1:1 program impacted her classroom in 2020-2021 - video link

The parent/students 1:1 device agreement is an agreement that the parent will accept during the online Skyward student registration process for both new and returning students.  The agreement explains the two choices of the optional device insurance and the no premium option, what is covered, what is not covered, responsibities and expectations, and other related information.

The agreement can be viewed at click this link

The use of technology in school has evolved to where it is an integral part of classrooms in much the same way that a textbook or calculator has been in the past.  In the past at Hutto ISD, secondary students used Chromebooks in carts in classrooms.  This caused problems as it takes time away from class to get a device from a cart, log on to it, log off at the end of class, and put it back in the cart.  We also did not have enough chromebooks in classrooms for all students and filling carts enough to cover all of the needs takes many more chromebooks than giving each student a chromebook.  

By treating technology as an instructional material, the district will issue each secondary student a 1:1 chromebook which they will carry to all their classes and avoid the problems described.  They will take it home as well.  They are not required to use it at home if they have access to another device.  It also offers the advantages listed further above in the FAQ.  The state allows school districts to require students to receive instructional materials, but districts cannot charge for items that are required, such as technological equipment or textbooks.  However, the state does allow Districts to charge for damages to those instructional materials.
 
The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), who works with the state and writes the legal policies adopted by all school districts in Texas, describes it well when they said "Education Code section 31.104(d) allows a school board to require a student, parent, or guardian to pay for a student's failure to return in an acceptable condition all instructional materials and technological equipment issues to the student.  Tex. Educ. Code 31.104(d). Specifically, the law provides that each student or guardian is responsible for all instructional materials and technological equipment previously issued but not returned in an acceptable condition by the student.   Tex. Educ. Code 31.001, .104(d)"

For this reason, we are providing two device options to parents, the optional device insurance and the no premium option. Please see further down in the FAQ about why the use of personal devices at school is not being allowed.

We would like to check-out the Chromebooks to as many students as possible during the 2-3 weeks before school is scheduled to start. Please look for emails, FaceBook postings, web site notices, etc. from the District in July with details about where and when to pick-up your Chromebook.

A Chromebook can be setup to be able to do some tasks offline without internet, such as creating and editing documents.  But internet access provides much more options and opportunities for using the device.

The District has mobile internet hotspots available for student check-out in the middle schools and high school libraries.  One hotspot can support multiple student devices, so only 1 should be checked out per household.  Check-out period is for 1 grading period at a time. Hotspot can be re-checked out in accordance with library policies.

Details about the hotspot check-out terms can be found in the 1:1 device agreement. 

Hutto ISD takes the safety of students very seriously.  All 1:1 student issued chromebooks are content filtered at school and off-site.  It does not matter if it is used at home, Starbucks, McDonalds, the library, or any place else, it will be filtered.  In addition, the filter enforces Google safe search and blocks common inappropriate search terms, enforces YouTube Safe Mode, and all internet access is logged by student name.
  
In addition, only Chrome extensions and Chrome web apps on an approved list are able to be installed by students.  If a Chrome extension or Chrome web app your student would like to install is not allowed but it has value for education or productivity, please have them ask their teacher to open a Technology support ticket to have it added to the allowed list. 

All use of any District devices is also subject to the terms of the student acceptable use policy at link

The use of personal laptops or tablets at school is not allowed.  Students need to use a District owned device.  For this reason, we have added a no premium default option to the device agreement.  Please read the device agreement to compare the two options and to be aware of possible costs if a device with the no premium option is damaged.
 
This allows us to be able to provide technical support for students and to ensure that their device is configured and totally compatible to work for any school related needs, including any extensions or apps that need to be installed.  It also helps us ensure that cybersecurity requirements and concerns are addressed.