When students return to their Plano ISD schools later this month, a number of them will receive new laptops as part of a district initiative to increase student access to district technology. The Plano ISD board of trustees on Tuesday approved a four-year plan to purchase a Google Chromebook for every student and teacher in the district—with extra laptops to spare—and upgrade desktop technology for teachers and staff. The district’s new technology standard would purchase Chromebook laptops equal to the number of enrolled students plus 2 percent. The district would also provide staff computers equal to the number of staff members plus 15 percent. In addition to increasing access to technology, the policy is intended to provide a more personalized learning experience for students, Assistant Superintendent for Technology Services Dan Armstrong told trustees. Missy Bender, president of the board of trustees, said getting teachers and administrators to fully buy in to the program would be essential to its success. "This is not optional for our campus leadership to embrace,” Bender said. “It's not optional for teachers ... either." In Plano ISD elementary schools, third- and fifth-graders will be the first to receive district Chromebooks this year. In the 2018-19 school year, the district will hand out Chromebooks to second- and fourth-graders. Kindergarteners and first-graders will receive Chromebooks in the third year of the rollout. Middle schools will also observe a three-year rollout, with some students enrolled in math, language, theater, speech and debate classes receiving the first units this year. High schools and senior high schools will roll out Chromebooks to students over a two-year period. The district will distribute 3,930 Chromebooks to teachers up front this year, with another 70 laptops designated for district librarians.