Many schools are using precious funding to put the
newest technology in the hands of their students. However, with those costs
comes concern about protecting the investment, which has led school districts,
colleges, and universities to make insuring those devices a big business.
“A lot of districts don’t want to deal with the claims
process,” said Quang Ha, sales director of Worth Ave., a company with more than
1,000 clients in the education field, talking to eSchool News.
“Can you trust an eight- or nine-year-old to take care of technology? Things
are bound to happen. We manage the whole repair process.”
The Farmington, MN, district plans to spend about $3
million over the next four years to put iPads into the hands of students in
grades 4-12. The system has developed an 11-page loan agreement that provides
insurance at a cost of $28 per year, along with a plan for how the gadget can
be used in and outside of school by students to help prevent damage.
Parents can opt out of the contract if they agree to
pay for the device if it's damaged, but the district is hoping parents will want
to participate and that the detailed plan will provide incentive for students
to handle the devices with a bit more care.
“Part of it is the replacement factor and the budget
consideration,” said Carl Colmark, finance director of the Farmington school
district. “And part of it is I think it will bring a greater level of
responsibility for both parents and kids.”
