CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — One Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member wants more money spent on technology.
The district spent nearly $15 million on textbooks last year, but board member Tim Morgan thinks some of that money should start going toward things like laptop computers for students.
"The more I think about it, the more it makes sense and I agree with them," Morgan said. "I think we really need to look at that."
Morgan said in the search for a new superintendent, students listed someone who "embraces technology" as their top candidate.
At Cochrane Collegiate Academy, principal Josh Bishop chose to spend special federal funds on technology such as laptops.
"Next year we should be very close to a full one-to-one school where every student has a device," Bishop said.
The money could have been spent on extra teachers, he said, but Cochrane has smaller class sizes than other district middle schools.
"We're seeing a lot of individual attention and small group instruction, so it really meets the purpose of hiring different people as well," he said.
Every sixth- and seventh-grade student at Cochrane works with a laptop. In March, every ninth-grader will be working with an iPad. Morgan points to Cochrane as an example for the whole district.
Morgan said at a school board meeting Tuesday night that the district needs to start looking at alternatives.
"Is there a way that, instead of issuing books, we do it electronically?" he asked.
Budget talks for the next school year start in January.
WSOC
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