Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

This is an exciting time in your child’s educational journey and we are excited to share it with them. Among the many great things happening in our classrooms, we are making major advances in the use of technology to help engage our students and provide opportunities otherwise not possible. The district has created an intentional and sustainable plan to provide both the training for our teachers and building staff as well as the hardware and software to support these initiatives and propel our students forward.We are very dedicated to ensuring each of our students succeed in the classroom and have the tools available to them to remain successful. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, each student in grades 6 through 12 will be required to bring an approved mobile computing device. These devices will need to meet certain specifications such as a screen size of at least ten inches (diagonal) and a battery that will last an entire school day.Bring your Own Device (BYOD) means that if you already own, or plan to purchase, an device that meets our modest technical requirements, you may use that device at school. BYOD also offers the flexibility of allowing you to use a device that is comfortable to you, such as tablet, laptop, Windows, or Apple. Because we have standardized on web-based learning platforms and digital resources, we can ensure compatability across a wide range of devices.Please refer to the sections below for details regarding BYOD, and keep watching this space for more information to come.

Purchasing a Device

(Or using one you already own)

Shopping for a new device can seem overwhelming. We understand this and have created handy guidelines and examples to simplify the process. Access a printable copy of device specifications that you can show a salesperson or use to find a device yourself that would meet our requirements. We’ve also worked with a local vendor to set up a web store for you to purchase compatible devices online. The web store can be found at: https://ftcsc-store.1rti.com/ These devices are an attractive choice due to their low cost and familiarity among students.

Some devices that meet our requirements as of June 2018 are:

  • HP or Dell Chromebook 11 or Chromebook 14
  • Apple iPad Air or newer (some students might want a Bluetooth keyboard)
  • Apple MacBook/MacBook Pro/MacBook Air (purchased 2015 or newer)
  • Most Windows laptops purchased after July 2015 are acceptable

It is important that you enroll and register your device with our network by visiting the Device Enrollment page and following the instructions. If you have not enrolled your device either before, or during the summer textbook pickup events, you will be issued a rental device and a fee will appear on your textbook rental fees.

Renting a Device

In addition to using compatible, personally owned devices, the district is offering rental devices that can be used during the school year. Rental devices have an annual cost of $50 (waived for free and reduced price lunch recipients), and will be delivered and returned along with textbooks. You do not need to reserve or apply to receive a rental device, as they are automatically issued along with textbooks unless you have registered a BYOD device. Students are responsible for the proper care and use of rental devices. Device damage will be assessed at the end of each school year, and students may be charged for any damage incurred. See our Fee Schedule for potential repair costs.

See our Device FAQ if you have questions

Support

Getting help with these devices is easy. Student tech teams in each building will be available to assist in device troubleshooting, application support, and facilitating repair and replacement of rental devices. While we cannot perform any repairs on personally owned devices, we can perform basic troubleshooting and offer suggestions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We’ve created handy documents with answers to commonly asked questions regarding the BYOD program.

Curriculum FAQ – For answers relating to the purpose and goals of the program

Device FAQ – For answers relating to the device aspect of the program, including purchase and rental.

Enrollment FAQ – For answers relating to enrolling personal devices.