Chromebooks at Home

Will the Chromebooks be available for home use?

Grades 3 -12 are part of our 1:World program. Grades 6-12 will have a Chromebook checked out to each student for home and school use. Grades 3-5 will have chromebooks for use in the classroom only.

While these devices are district property, the intent is that they are available at home and school for educational purposes by the student. All students must have Chromebook Assurance purchased or the Assurance Opt-Out Form completed by a parent before they are issued a Chromebook.  Click Here to Print Annual Assurance Form

Chromebooks for elementary students (grades K-2) are maintained as shared classroom sets in mobile carts and will be kept at school. 

How will the devices work at home?            

Unlike a standard laptop, Chromebooks are dependent on WiFi access for full functionality. These devices will be able to connect to home networks as well as networks provided by businesses. Regardless of who is providing the WiFi access, the devices offer web filtering at home and school.

If WiFi access is not available at home there are a couple of options. 

One option would be to choose the "offline" option for specific files. This takes some planning, as it must be done in advance, while WiFi access is available.  Files can be worked on while no WiFi access is available, and will sync once back on the internet. This option also works when students want to work on the bus, on a road trip, or other times when WiFi access is not an option. For information on how to use the "offline" mode, click here.

Other options are available for families that qualify for free or reduced lunches:

Comcast has a monthly plan for $9.95. Please click here for more information. 

AT & T has a similar monthly plan for $10. Click here for further information.

How much will it cost to charge the Chromebook at home?

The electricity costs should be minimal to families over the school year, and the total cost is based on usage. Below is a formula to help you develop an estimate.The device draws about 40 watts, according to the manufacturer's specifications. To estimate electricity usage or kilowatt hours, use this formula:

• (Wattage x Hours plugged in per day x number of days per year) / 1000 = kWh

• Then multiply the answer by the cost of electricity per kilowatt hour in Clark County (about $0.08). That is your estimate for the total annual cost.

• If your child uses or charges his/her Chromebook at home (they charge while being used, too) every day after school for one hour, the annual cost to parents is about 57 cents.

• (40 watts x 1 hour per day x 180 school days per year) / 1000 = 7.2 kWh

• 7.2 kWh x $0.08 = $0.57 per school year.

Can you Print from the devices?

No. Digital online file sharing between staff and students is one of the great advantages of the Chromebooks and is an easy and efficient way to distribute and turn in assignments without printing. It also encourages collaboration, access to work by both teacher and student allowing greater ongoing feedback. Additionally, it saves on paper, ink and toner use, thereby saving district resources.

Can parents use the Chromebooks?

When a student is logs into a Chromebook, parents can use them to check on student work. The Chromebooks are not intended for personal use for the student, their siblings, or their parents. 

How can students submit work or assignments via their devices?

Google Classroom and Google Drive have features built in that allow work to be shared between teachers and even classmates for collaboration, feedback and review. Students can create documents, spreadsheets, drawings, photos, presentations and even videos through their Google Apps for Education account, as well as access other web based resources. Each item can be turned in via Google Classroom, as an online inbox for teacher access and grading.

What if a student is out of school for an extended period (illness, travel, family emergency, etc.)?

Nothing can replace a student's valuable time in the classroom, but these devices will help when an absence is unavoidable.  The devices make it easier for students to receive work from their teacher, collaborate with their peers, receive ongoing feedback and turn their work in.

Can the district track web history?

Yes, both from activity at home and at school. The district can track information on visited sites, search terms, etc. Students should only visit sites that are approved by the district and those that are not in violation of the Acceptable Use Policy. Violations of the policy can result in disciplinary action.