The Pflugerville ISD board of trustees approved a student laptop initiative July 26 that provides nearly 7,000 computers for schools throughout the district. The initiative is funded by the 2014 bond election. The price of the laptops totals $3.97 million, which includes the devices, warranty and support services. The initiative will help promote research-based instruction within classrooms as well as promote student engagement and achievement by using technology, district officials said. An ad hoc committee was tasked with overseeing the student laptop initiative. After reviewing 13 different proposals and soliciting feedback from a group of about 15 students, the committee made the decision to propose a contract with Dell Inc. and Austin Ribbon Computing. The devices purchased as part of the student laptop initiative will be less expensive and have greater technological capacity than the laptops purchased in 2012 through the instructional material allotment, according to the district. The laptops will have a three-year battery warranty. The laptops will be distributed among schools on carts by grade level. Each cart at high school campuses will have 35 laptops, and each cart at middle schools will have 30 laptops. Each cart at elementary schools will have 24-25 laptops, and an additional cart of laptops will be available in the libraries of overcrowded elementary schools. Teachers and principals will monitor students’ computer usage and data. The computers are expected to be used on campuses by Oct. 10. The school board approved the motion 5-0.