North Carolina Schools Face Funding Shortfall for Student Device Replacements
During a Jan. 29 meeting of the House Select Committee on Education Reform, representatives from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) informed lawmakers that funding for the replacement purchases of student devices, mainly laptops, cannot be sustained.
COVID-19 Relief Funds Running Out
Districts had purchased laptops for all students using COVID-19 relief funds, which are set to run out in September of this year. Dr. Vanessa Wrenn, NCDPI’s Chief Information Officer, and Dr. Ashley McBride, Digital Learning Initiative Specialist, presented that about 75% of districts are unsure how they will be able to replace aging, broken, or missing laptops for students.
Insufficient Resources for Device Refresh Cycles
According to NCDPI, 89 of 115 Local Education Agencies (LEAs) reported lacking identified and/or sufficient resources to sustain their refresh cycles for student devices beyond ESSER funding.
Statewide Student Device Statistics
There are 1.98 million student devices across the state, with 114 out of 115 districts having one device per student. For charter schools, 162 out of 215 have students with a dedicated device, with the majority being Google Chromebooks or other Chrome devices.
Cost of Replacing Laptops
The annual cost of laptop replacements is estimated at around $200-250 million, amounting to roughly $1 billion every four to five years based on an estimated replacement cost of $525 per device. Since 2020, the state’s schools have spent $404 million on computer equipment and $183 million on software and supplies. The General Assembly allocated $31 million last year for school district technology purposes.
Advocating for Sustainable Funding
NCDPI stresses the importance of technology in education and advocates for sustainable funding to ensure continued access to the latest tools, including teaching students about artificial intelligence. Randolph County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stephen Gainey also highlighted technology funding as a primary concern, stating that the district isn’t receiving enough money from the state to cover rising expenses, with an example of spending $600,000 just on software subscriptions.
Federal Funds Allocation for Technology
The Legislative Fiscal Research Division presented data on an assessment of supply and demand for public school technology in the state, including the allocation of $108 million through various rounds of federal funds by the General Assembly for technology purposes, with $30 million specifically allocated for student laptops and another $5 million for staff computers.
Learning Loss Recovery and Student Data
Dr. Jeni Corn, NCDPI’s Director of Research and Evaluation, updated lawmakers on learning loss recovery and provided a year-over-year look at trends and data for the state’s students.
North Carolina schools are facing a funding shortfall for the replacement purchases of student devices, particularly laptops. The COVID-19 relief funds that were used to purchase laptops for all students are set to run out in September, leaving many districts uncertain about how they will be able to replace aging or broken devices. According to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), 75% of districts are unsure how they will address this issue.
With 1.98 million student devices across the state, and almost all districts having one device per student, the cost of annual laptop replacements is estimated to be between $200-250 million. This would amount to approximately $1 billion every four to five years. Since 2020, North Carolina schools have already spent $404 million on computer equipment and $183 million on software and supplies. The General Assembly allocated $31 million last year for school district technology purposes, but this falls far short of the needed funding.
The NCDPI emphasizes the importance of technology in education and calls for sustainable funding to ensure that students have access to the latest tools, including teaching them about artificial intelligence. Randolph County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Stephen Gainey also raised concerns about insufficient funding, citing an example of spending $600,000 solely on software subscriptions.
The Legislative Fiscal Research Division presented data showing that the General Assembly has allocated $108 million in federal funds for technology purposes, with $30 million specifically earmarked for student laptops and an additional $5 million for staff computers. However, there is still a significant gap in funding.
In addition to addressing the funding shortfall, lawmakers are also focusing on learning loss recovery and analyzing student data. Dr. Jeni Corn, NCDPI’s Director of Research and Evaluation, provided an update on these efforts during the meeting.
It remains to be seen how North Carolina will address the funding shortage for student device replacements, but it is clear that sustainable funding is crucial to ensure that students have access to the necessary technology for their education.
Analyst comment
Negative news: The funding for replacement purchases of student devices, mainly laptops, cannot be sustained. 75% of districts are unsure how to replace aging, broken, or missing laptops. The annual cost of laptop replacements is estimated at $200-250 million. The state’s schools have spent $404 million on computer equipment since 2020. NCDPI advocates for sustainable funding to ensure continued access to technology in education.
Market analysis: The lack of sustainable funding for laptop replacements in schools may lead to a decrease in demand for educational technology devices. This could impact the market for student laptops and related equipment, potentially affecting manufacturers and suppliers. Investors should monitor the education technology sector for potential shifts in demand and funding opportunities.
