Argyle ISD is set to receive new computers and transport software, because officials want to refurbish aging technology.
Trustees assessed the purchase of new computers and transport software and approved the purchase of Chromebooks for a total of $ 1.08 million. Chief Financial Officer Liz Stewart presented the items to the board during the meeting of April 22 and the items rated will return next month for approval from the council.
What to know
The district identified a need for new Chromebooks in the sixth, seventh and ninth degrees before the start of the 2025-26 school year. Civil servants settled for Acer for the purchase option and want to buy 1,700 devices at a total cost of $ 785,400, said Stewart.
The devices are built to make internal repairs possible and include a faster processor and a screen with a higher resolution. Cases have not yet been released for this model, but will be available in the future for between $ 35 and $ 50 each. Officials budgeted for $ 50 per case, which is included in the total cost mark, according to district documents. The purchase uses 2024 bond funds.
The district also wants to buy computers to renew the Engineering Lab and the Audiovisual Lab at Argyle High School. The costs of the computers will not exceed $ 125,000 and will be allocated in the budget of 2024-25, said Stewart.
More Details
The current transport software of the district lacks various important characteristics that are essential for modern school transport activities, director of operations Tommy Ledford. These include built-in tablets with student information for drivers, Turn-by-Turn Navigation, a parent communication portal, bus followings, digital selection and electronic tools before Trip Inspection.
Civil servants who deal with 14 different software providers participated in seven product demonstrations and carried out a pilot program in one of the buses, Ledford said. No system met all the needs of the district, so officials chose to use a combination of two systems, smart tag and transact that will offer extensive functionality, he said.
These systems will also work with the plan for secondary students to start wearing identification baths for the 25-26 school year. The badges will make the integration of transport, identification and student food information possible, Ledford said.
The tablets on every bus can ensure that students use the right badges. The total costs for the new software will be around $ 170,843 and are also allocated in the budget of 2024-25.
Forward
Trustees approved the Chromebook purchase, but the computer lab has been renewed and the transport software will be reduced for approval in May, Stewart said.
