los angeles unified school district
Latest
Verizon will provide free internet to students in Los Angeles
Verizon will provide free internet access to all students who need it in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the company announced today. This could help as many as 100,000 students continue to learn while schools are closed.
LA Unified School District under investigation for bungled iPad program
The Los Angeles Unified school district (LAUSD) may be in hot water over its failed iPad pilot project, reports the LA Times. A federal grand jury subpoenaed LAUSD documents relating to the bidding process for the US$1.3 billion initiative to equip faculty and students with computers and other new technology. As part of the program, Apple was awarded a lucrative contract to supply the school system with iPads, while Pearson was chosen to provide the curriculum for the project. The investigation is closely examining the pre-bidding communication as well as the bidding process following the revelation that former L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy had close ties to winners Apple and Pearson. Deasy spearheaded the iPad project during his tenure as superintendent and has denied any wrongdoing in the matter. According to the LA Times, the FBI seized the subpoenaed documents in a surprise visit to the district office this week. Following this seizure, current superintendent Ramon C. Cortines announced that the district is officially abandoning the iPad project. "We're not going to use the original iPad contract anymore," Cortines said Tuesday. "I think there have been too many innuendos, rumors, etc., and based on my reading of a great deal of material over Thanksgiving, I came to this conclusion. "As CEO and steward of a billion-dollar operation, I have to make sure things are done properly so they are not questioned." The iPad pilot program was hailed as ground-breaking when it was initiated in fall 2013. The ambitious program sought to equip the school system with cutting edge technology for learning, but the project struggled from the start. Students easily removed security provisions to prevent web browsing and social media, while teachers felt inadequately equipped to use the devices effectively in class.
Daily Update for July 26, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Los Angeles school gives out five iPads to elementary school students with exemplary attendance
The LA Daily News reports that the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), in an effort to encourage students to show up to class, is giving away some pretty impressive gifts to students with exemplary attendance. Graduating senior Vanessa Umana expected to leave last Friday's commencement ceremony at Francis Polytechnic High School with a diploma, a few photos and some wonderful memories. Imagine her surprise, then, when Principal Ari Bennett announced that Vanessa would also be getting an $18,000 Chevrolet Sonic, one of two grand prizes awarded in a year-long contest to encourage perfect attendance at Los Angeles Unified schools. Of course, not every graduating senior received a car. Rather, students with perfect attendance were entered into a lottery for the vehicles. The report notes that the LAUSD over the past few months has been awarding monthly prizes to students who show up to class each and every day. It would appear that the prizes are typically donated by local companies, so any concerns regarding the wasteful use of government money should be dialed back a bit. Naturally, not every gift is as exciting as a new car, but the report does note that five elementary school students were awarded iPads "as winners in the district's Attendance Challenge." Well I certainly went to school in the wrong school district, not to mention the wrong era. The report is unclear as to whether or not Apple donated the iPads to the school district. I reached out to Apple for clarification but haven't heard back yet. In the past, Apple has donated iPads for worthy causes. In 2011, the company donated iPads to the state of Oregon as part of a pilot program to make it easier for disabled citizens to vote. Apple in 2011 also set up a program where owners of the original iPad could give their devices to Apple who then donated them to teachers in lower income school districts.
