We, the undersigned, support a policy which requires students at Souhegan to each own a personal laptop. Students would be required to own a laptop which they would use in and out of school to complete assignments, communicate with teachers and students and open up new opportunities for learning. Financial aid would also be available for those who qualify for it.

Currently, there is no such policy. Students are not required to own laptops, as laptops are provided by the school in the form of laptop carts and computer labs. When a class needs access to laptops a cart/lab must be signed out which isn’t always available. Kathryn Gates, director of support services and research assistant professor in the Office of Information Technology at the University of Mississippi, states, “if students have their own computers, then it may be possible to recover some valuable microcomputer lab space” and that colleges that require this do not have to fund “more expensive desktop-based classrooms.” If every student has their own laptop it will mean we do not have to fund expensive labs and carts.

One online high school, Virtual High School (VHS), partners with public schools to achieve a superior e-learning and public high school experience. VHS has over 200 “member schools” in 28 U.S. states and 8 other countries. Policies like ours are being used around the country. Kevin Blankenship, Superintendent at the Bluffs School District in Illinois, says that “I think now the students feel like the district is engaged with them and looking out for their best interest…” When students have access to laptops they feel more engaged in learning.

An article titled “10 Advantages of a Student Laptop”, says that with a laptop students can take notes in class, type up assignments, share notes and work with groups on projects. Students will become more excited to learn using computers in class rather than sitting at a desk taking notes with a pen and paper. Also, it would allow groups to work more collaboratively and communicate with each other. Work would also be much neater due to the fact is typed and not handwritten.