Fort Bend ISD to issue laptops to middle, high school students in 2024-25 school year

Fort Bend ISD will use funds from the May 2023 bond to give every middle and high school student a laptop in the 2024-25 school year.

In a nutshell

The district’s EquippED 1:1 Laptop Initiative requires students in grades 6-12 to bring their free, charged laptop to school daily, according to a district news release. However, parents and guardians will be on the hook to pay if the laptop is damaged, lost or stolen.

Families can purchase insurance for $15 or $35 per year, with the lower cost available for students in the federal free and reduced-price meal program, according to the release.

Quote of note

"The 1:1 laptops will benefit students by providing equitable access to digital resources, such as Schoology and online textbooks, classroom assignments and exams," the release stated.

The cost

The initiative costs $30 million—$17.6 million from a federal grant and $12.4 million from Proposition B of the district's bond, per the release. Proposition B included $52.5 million in computer upgrades, Community Impact reported.

What’s next

While elementary students won’t get personal laptops, the district invested in additional laptops for their classroom use, according to the release.