Action Item
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Information and Technology
Action Item |
| DATE: | Tuesday, January 24, 2012 |
| TO: | School Board Members |
| FROM: | MaryEllen Elia, Superintendent |
| SUBJECT / RECOMMENDATIONS | |
| Approve the Purchase of Nook Touch eReaders from Barnes and Noble as a Pilot Program (Business Division) | |
| EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | |
| Interest in eReaders prompted the formation of a committee consisting of personnel from Customer Service and Support, Curriculum and Instruction, Divisional Program Services, Exceptional Student Education, and the Business Division. The committee reviewed three products: Amazon's Kindle, Brainchild's Kineo and Barnes and Noble's Nooks. The committee has proposed the Barnes and Noble Nooks as the district's standard eReaders for all students other than those with disabilities that dictate the need for a more appropriate device. Electronic readers are in the growth stage of their product lifecycle with numerous choices; however, the majority of them are currently geared towards consumers, with limited options that work well within the K-12 environment. In addition to providing the best device for the majority of our students, concerns for the committee included: tracking the device, capturing/controlling the content downloaded on devices, recording purchase history, and designating ownership.
Control of Nooks will reside with the site administrator. All Nook purchases will require the site administrator to provide justification and receive prior district approval. The standard proposed devices will be limited to Wi-Fi and are equipped to block Internet access with password protection. Nook units will be tracked in the Follett inventory textbook system to alert site administrators of missing devices when physical inventory is taken. The Follett inventory system has the ability to track by student, accommodating any device loan programs. Executive summary continued on attachment 1. |
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| STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES | |
| • Demonstrate consistent and effective teaching methods | |
| FINANCIAL IMPACT (Budgeted: Yes) | |
| A variety of funding sources will be used including grants, internal accounts, PTA, Title1, and matching funds. | |
| EVALUATION | |
| Suppliers are reviewed on a semi-annual basis; at which time, we will reconvene the committee to review purchase volume and market offerings. | |
| SUBMITTED BY: Jean Bowman, General Manager, Procurement Department | |
| David J. Steele, Ph.D. | Gretchen Saunders | |
| Chief Information and Technology Officer and Project Director, Empowering Effective Teachers (813) 272-4600 |
Chief Business Officer (813) 272-4270 |
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| A 5.09 | ||
| Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20120124_491 (Board Meeting) * Section A Item# 5.09 | ||