Dive Summary:
- Los Angeles school officials have not budgeted for iPad keyboards in a plan to give the tablets to each student districtwide, but they say they are recommended for students taking new state standardized tests.
- Buying keyboards for 650,000 students would cost more than $38 million at retail prices.
- The concern over the lack of a keyboard comes not only from possible difficulty during test-taking, but also for older students writing longer papers.
From the article:
... So far the district has committed to paying Apple $30 million to provide tablets at 47 schools. Over time, funding for all iPads will reach about $500 million. Another $500 million will be spent on items such as installing wireless Internet throughout the nation's second-largest school system. ...