School Board Wants 2,000 Interactive Whiteboards for Elementary Students
The whiteboards are part of a $14.5 million technology investment that would also include installing wireless Internet.
Chalkboards will soon join the ranks of record players, typewriters and paperback books, at least for elementary school students in Montgomery County Public Schools. The school board recently approved a request to put interactive whiteboards in every elementary classroom by the start of the 2013-2014 school year, according to a statement from the district.
The whiteboards, which already are in use at dozens of schools throughout the county, are part of a $14.5 million technology reboot that also will provide building-wide wireless Internet for every school in the district that doesn’t already have it.
Of the elementary schools already using interactive whiteboards, many were bought with money raised by school PTAs, The Washington Post reported.
“We need to make sure we have a level playing field for all of our kids,” said Patricia O’Neill, a school board member. “The boards can’t just be for kids in schools that have affluent PTAs.”
If approved by the Montgomery County Council, MCPS will need to purchase 2,000 interactive whiteboards to ensure each elementary classroom has one, The Post reported.
Read more on The Washington Post's website.
Does your child's school use interactive whiteboards? How important is the technology for young students? Tell us in the comments!
Somerset Westland parent
7:43 am on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
What a waste of money!! My children's schools have these white boards and I don't see that their instruction is any better. A significant number of children have problems seeing clearly on these boards (as did I at back to school nights). Just think what else this money could be used for. Perhaps additional teachers to reduce class size?
Also, some schools that have had the boards for several years are starting to experience problems with them. Has the school board set aside funds for maintenance, repair, and replacement?
Brian Williams
8:54 am on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Wow, I appreciate your candid perspective about the interactive white boards being a waste of money. Perhaps you could lead the movement in your Somerset/Westland school to have them transferred to a less affluent community (e.g. Einstein/Wheaton) where the parents/students would welcome them into their classrooms? If you feel strongly about the issue, speak up and be a leader -- help ensure resources are more equitably distributed, so those in less-affluent communities are able to enjoy some of the resources which seem to be troubling to others. I look forward to your advocating for all children in the system!