One-to-one technology, also known as one-to-one computing or a one-to-one initiative, or a 1:1 device program, refers to an educational program where schools provide each student with their own personal learning device.  Laptops, tablets, or Chromebooks are the most common devices provided to students by the district.

The devices become a tool for students to access their education: textbooks, creation tools, collaboration with teachers and other students, and extended learning time.

Research by the folks at Futuresource Consulting Group  shows that the percentage of schools undertaking 1:1 device programs in America stood at 63% in 2021.

Similarly, the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology released a report in the spring of 2020 which stated that nearly 66% of “responding” school districts in Connecticut have some type of 1:1 device program in place.

And then there is Hartford Public Schools.

From the 2018-19 school year to the 2022-23 school year, HPS did not even include a line item in their budget documents to tell us how much they spent on “technology equipment and software.”  However, Superintendent Torres-Rodriguez reported to the Board of Education during a June 2020 Regular Meeting that HPS had distributed 10,890 devices to students and that 96% of students were confirmed as having access to a device.

In a draft “BYOD” technology policy discussed with the BOE in December of 2020, the Superintendent stated that “Hartford Public Schools believes that technology should play a vital role in meeting the needs of the broad range of abilities, disabilities, cultural backgrounds and ethnic populations presented in district schools.” 

Seven months later, in January of 2021, the Superintendent reported to the BOE that COVID school closures resulted in a $3.9 million budget surplus for the school year 2019-20 but “equipment expenses” were up 71% due “…to purchase of student laptops prior to receiving COVID funding.”

For the 2023-24 school year the Superintendent budgeted $1.6 million for “technology equipment and software.”

At a July 2023 BOE Regular Meeting, the BOE dutifully approved the Superintendent’s request for a second contract for the non-profit Modern Classrooms Project.  According to the Superintendent, Modern Classrooms teaches educators how to implement a “blended, self-paced, mastery-based instructional model” which is designed to leverage “technology to create greater personalization and connection in classrooms.”  In other words, the program is highly dependent on the district having a 1:1 device program in place.

Two months into the 2023-24 school year and teachers are reporting that their students do not have devices to do in-class exercises, let alone out-of-class extended learning exercises.  The district did not purchase laptops without insurance in 2020 and let students take them home, did they?  Nah, they wouldn’t have, couldn’t have, made such a moronic purchase.

One teacher who joined the device-heavy Modern Classrooms Project posted the following on Facebook in early October of this year:

“Looking for advice (but also venting): what should a teacher do if half of their students still don’t have devices yet? It’s October! This is especially frustrating after Hartford partnered with the Modern Classrooms Project, which pretty much requires students to have their own device.”

Another teacher reports that the “concept of homework is dead” if it entails using a device.  Also stating that the district is “discouraging” device-related homework because it is “inequitable” to those students without devices.

A teacher stated that at the beginning of the school year the district pushed the idea of each teacher creating a Google Classroom so they may post student resources and students may access and post assignments.  This teacher asked, “what good is Google Classrooms if the student does not have a device to access the platform?”

Another teacher explained that some state standardized testing is done on a computer, however, since many classrooms do not have the required number of computers, students are ushered into a computer lab with “suboptimal” computers which in many cases do not have a mouse or headphones.  This teacher stated that some teachers are purchasing headphones on their own so that students can take these tests.

And the district’s response to these teacher voices?  We don’t see that.

The district is run by bad politicians who admit nothing and deny everything.  You can go online and buy a t-shirt printed with that phrase…if you have a device.