Some context
The district’s efforts to obtain at least one computer for every student comes after the Texas Legislature approved House Bill 1481 in July.
According to previous reporting, HB 1481 requires school districts to adopt policies prohibiting students from using personal wireless communication devices—including cellphones, tablets, smartwatches and any other devices capable of digital communication or telecommunication—on school property during the school day.
In July, HISD trustees approved a new policy in line with state regulations prohibiting students from using their devices on school property from the moment they enter the building to the final dismissal bell.
During the board’s Aug. 12 meeting, HISD Position 5 trustee Elizabeth Shaw said the bill could have a negative impact because the district had roughly one computer for every two students.
“The 2-to-1 system may have been manageable before,” Shaw said at the August meeting. “It’s not now.”
At the time, HISD Chief Communication Officer Jamie Mount said the district was already in the process of determining how to get the district to a 1-to-1 device policy.
A closer look
According to a presentation included in the meeting’s agenda documents, HISD currently has roughly three computers for every four students.
However, district data shows the number of computers per student varies by campus, with 24 of the district’s 45 campuses already at or above the one-computer-per-student ratio.
According to the presentation, officials are aiming for every campus to meet at least an 85% threshold of computers for every student by the end of November.
What’s next
Trustees will hear the presentation from the district’s Technology Committee during the board’s Oct. 21 meeting. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Humble ISD Board Room, 20200 Eastway Village Drive, Humble.
