- Kent School District
- One-to-One Laptops
Technology
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- Technology Overview
- Acceptable Use Policy
- Laptop Support
- Device Agreement
- Device Handbook
- Digital Learning Toolkit
- Digital Use Expectations for Students
- Family Tech Academy
- Frequently Asked Technology Questions
- Frequently Used Links
- Home Internet Access
- Hotspots
- Online Safety
- Privacy & Data
- Software Library
- Technology RFPs
One-to-One
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Laptops for Students in Grades 7-12
Each Kent School District (KSD) student in grades 7 through 12 receives a laptop to use at school and at home for the duration of the school year.
Student laptops are refreshed every four (4) years to minimize costs associated with repair and refurbishment, and to provide a stable device that supports diverse learning objectives.
Elementary students have begun receiving devices to use at school during the expansion of this initiative, to be completed in 2019.
Funding
All instructional computers are paid for with funds from technology levies that have been approved by voters since 2006. By law, these funds must be used for technology improvements, hardware, and software; these funds cannot be spent as general education funds.
File Library
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do students enrolled in Running Start receive laptops?
The number of laptops purchased each year by our technology levy funding is based on the projected student enrollment produced by our Budget & Finance team the previous spring. To be eligible to receive a laptop, the student must be enrolled in one (1) or more course, other than advisory, on a KSD school campus. Students enrolled in Running Start full-time are ineligible to receive a laptop at this time.
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Will students be protected from objectionable Internet content?
Kent School District uses filtering software that operates on all devices, whether students are at home or at school. All filtering and internet safety protections are age- and grade-level appropriate, and have been implemented in compliance with the Child’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA).
Additionally, internet safety and digital citizenship curriculum
is taught to students and presented to parents through parent/guardian education materials. Some areas of the Internet are not blocked due to their value as resources used in the instructional process. Many of these areas, such as YouTube, can be used both appropriately and inappropriately. We consider students’ use of these resources to be a learning opportunity and a stepping stone towards the real world, where students will need to have developed the maturity and self-discipline to use completely unfiltered internet access. -
Are parents expected to monitor usage to prevent unacceptable use of technology?
Ultimately, parents are responsible for their students’ behavior. We embrace parent engagement in their student’s education and development of personal responsibility. For more limited access when on campus, we encourage parents to work with their teachers or principal. Teachers are responsible for classroom management and have tools to provide tighter controls in a classroom situation. The ultimate goal is to help students make the best decisions when accessing online resources.
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How does the district monitor for acceptable usage compliance?
All Internet traffic, including email and file storage, on district
resources is logged and can be reviewed if concerns arise. Students may be able to delete their browsing history on the laptop, but all Internet activity is also logged centrally at the district office. -
What is the cost if a laptop is lost or damaged?
The conditions surrounding this equipment can be equated to those of a school-issued textbook or a calculator. Students are expected to keep track of and care for this equipment for the time period it is issued to them. Students/families may be fined for damaged or lost equipment. Assuming that the equipment is well cared for, there is no charge associated with the One-to-One Laptop Initiative because it is funded by the voter-approved technology levies.
Each laptop comes with a warranty that covers normal wear and
tear , along with other damage that might occur during normal use of the laptop. If the laptop is deemed to be intentionally or negligently damaged by the student, the student may incur a replacement fee in the form of a fine. Situations are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Specific cost information is available in the Student Manual. -
How is laptop inventory controlled?
Kent School District uses Computrace for computer inventory control and computer insurance. In the instance a laptop is reported lost or stolen, the school district is able to quickly identify the current location of any of its computers. In addition to Computrace, the Budget & Finance team tracks and reports on all technical assets using
enterprise asset management system. -
Am I allowed to connect my home printer to my school laptop?
The use of home printers is not supported by the Kent School District. Anything that a student is required to print should be printed at school, as teachers work to minimize the need to print at home. If a student chooses to print school work at home, we suggest using the following options: (1) save the file on a thumb/flash drive and using the home computer to print, or (2) email the file to the student’s Outlook email account, then use the home computer to access the web-based Outlook to print from the home computer.
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Can students use flash drives (thumb drives/jump drives) with their school laptop?
Yes, using thumb/flash drives is permitted. For more information about the appropriate use of electronic devices, please refer to Electronic Resource Policy 2022 and Procedure 2022P.
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What if my student has to walk home in bad weather with a laptop?
KSD issues a laptop case for each student. It is expected that laptops remain in the cases at all times. The case is designed to keep the laptop safe and protected from most inclement weather. Please note that the laptop case is not completely waterproof.
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Is it a requirement that my student bring his/her laptop home every night?
Students are not required to carry the laptops to/from school each day. Students who have achieved their off-campus laptop certification but wish to leave their assigned laptop at school should arrange for storage with their teachers or administrators. Students who take their laptops home are responsible for
care and for charging their laptop at home each night. -
What should my student do with the laptop if he/she plays an after-school sport?
During after-school events, the laptops are secured in a locker room office or classroom by a staff member. Please check with the coach or teacher and follow the directions specific to your school or program. Laptops should not travel with the students to away games. Parents may come to their student’s school and pick up the computer if they are planning to leave right after an away game.