As we reported in March, time was running out for the one-to-one program at Oak-Land Junior High School in Lake Elmo, MN. The six-year program in the St. Paul suburbs provided each of the 1,000, seventh through ninth grade students in the school a take-home laptop. The school's web site is filled with student-authored tutorials for Garage Band, iMovie, Flash, Inspiration and a host of other applications. The laptops have so deeply replaced textbooks that teachers could not see how to approach the curriculum without the personal computers. The district had expanded to a 3:1 cart in one other junior high, planned to upgrade the aging laptop, and dreamed of district-wide expansion.

And yet, the money from a levy that had funded the program for its first six years was gone. Add to that a recession, and it was hard to see a way to continue. In an editorial in the local paper, Keith Ryskoski, Superintendent of the Stillwater Area Public Schools, announced, "We do not have the funding necessary to purchase new computers to replace all of those being used in the 1:1 program at Oak-Land Junior High, and the 3:1 cart program at Stillwater Junior High.... given that we currently have only about $1 million dollars of funds designated for technology, with no ongoing stream of funds from the local or state level, and potential general fund reductions ranging from $4 million to $5 million for 2010-2011, we are not in a position to make a long-term commitment to ongoing technology purchases."

With great reluctance, Ryskoski recommended disbanding the program and focusing on funds for two programs: a voter-approved project to improve the phone system and professional development that would allow teachers to leverage students' personal devices brought from home.

Rysocki's editorial explains:

I confess that it is difficult for me personally to make a recommendation that will not refresh and expand a program that I believe has made a significant impact on student learning. Expanding student access to technology is an effort I have passionately supported over the years. I believe strongly that technology:

• Allows teachers to better differentiate and offer more personalized instruction;
• Allows more learning to take place inside and outside of class;
• Helps students explore topics in greater depth;
• Enhances high-order thinking
• Makes students more engaged in their learning;
• Enhances communication between teachers and students, students and parents, and parents and teachers;
• Levels the playing field for students by providing access to technology to all;
• Provides access to current, relevant curriculum content.

The public turned out in droves at the next night's board meeting – making it clear that community members who had been criticizing the program as an extravagant expense were not in the majority – and the program will hang on for at least one more year. Stay tuned.

Source: Stillwater Gazette, Ryskoski: District considers future of junior high tech program, Stillwater will not disband laptop program, for now