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Apple Scores $30 Million iPad Contract from L.A. Unified School District [Updated]

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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ipadineducation-250x139.jpg
Though Microsoft has been making a strong push to disrupt Apple's foothold in the education market by offering K-12 schools its Surface tablets at the low price of $199, its pricing incentives didn't have an effect on the Los Angeles Unified School District, reports AllThingsD.

On Tuesday night, the school board voted to spend $30 million on Apple iPads, which will see the company equipping every student in 47 of the district's schools with a tablet.
The deal, which was approved in a 6-0 vote by the district's school board, will see Apple supplying about 35,000 iPads to 47 LAUSD schools at a cost of about $678 per device. That's higher than retail, but I'm told the devices are to be preloaded with an assortment of educational software prior to distribution -- an additional expense. They also come with a three-year warranty.
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According to the LA Times, the district did test runs with multiple devices and the iPad "received the highest scoring by the students and the teachers." Winning a contract with the Los Angeles Unified School District is a major boon for Apple, as the district is the second largest school system in the United States and could influence other districts to follow in its footsteps.

Apple has long had a heavy focus on the educational market, which ramped up with the introduction of the iPad in 2010. Apple offers discounts across its product lineup for students and earlier this year, it was reported that the company had sold more than 8 million iPads to educational institutions around the world.

In February, Apple also met with the Turkish President to further discuss another huge educational deal that would see the country purchasing more than $4.5 billion worth of Apple products.

Update: Apple has issued a press release about the deal with the LA Unified School District.
"Education is in Apple's DNA and we're thrilled to work with Los Angeles Unified public schools on this major initiative as they plan to roll out iPads to every student across 47 campuses this fall," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Schools around the world have embraced the engaging and interactive quality of iPad with nearly 10 million iPads already in schools today."
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Article Link: Apple Scores $30 Million iPad Contract from L.A. Unified School District [Updated]
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/06/19/apple-scores-30-million-ipad-contract-from-l-a-unified-school-district/
Ingot

Ingot

macrumors 6502
Mar 24, 2010
266
23
Now I really enjoy the 3 year warranty and the preloaded software. As the fake IT guy in my school, this would save me a fair bit of work. Going to forward this story to my bosses and get them to make the switch from HP minis to this. Far more useful.
 
R

Ryth

macrumors 68000
Apr 21, 2011
1,591
157
Daws001 said:
How does that work? Are iPads loaned out to kids like textbooks?
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Yep. Some schools allow the children to take them home. Other schools only allow the iPads to stay in the classroom.

I think the later is better. Too much risk in being robbed/assaulted if you allow kids to take these home.
 
Ingot

Ingot

macrumors 6502
Mar 24, 2010
266
23
Daws001 said:
How does that work? Are iPads loaned out to kids like textbooks?
Click to expand...

Probably not. They are kept at school. When a teachers wants to use them in the class, they are all there ready to go without having to worry about going through the trouble of having to book them out ahead of time, retrieving them for the time they are needed, and then finding out some other class has taken them which means wasting time tracking them down and getting them into the hands of the students. One per child, kept in the classroom.
 
Small White Car

Small White Car

macrumors G4
Aug 29, 2006
10,966
1,463
Washington DC
I have always been suspect that "more computers" = "better education." But I think that's finally changing.

When I was a kid computers in school mostly just taught you how to use a computer. Anything more than that was stymied by the fact that:

1) They were too expensive for everyone to have their own.
2) The software available wasn't very robust, often just offering a single use.
3) When you were using a large PC or Mac screen you're generally not able to pay attention to anything else, like a lecture.

The iPad has gotten past all of these issues and are poised to be, not computers in a classroom, but rather textbook and note-pad replacements.

In light of all this I am much more interested in stories like this now than I was back in 1995.

I think this is a good move and an example of needing to 'wait for the right tech,' which is exactly how the iPad came into being in the first place.
 
lordofthereef

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,720
Boston, MA
Well if the students rated the thing, of course cost didn't factor in. In not at all surprised that students rated the iPad higher. For one, the majority of them were already familiar with the OS. Of course, there has long been the Apple cool factor with young people as well. I also wouldn't doubt that the preloaded software blew the MS tablets away.

But anyway, in truly left wondering how LAUSD could justify this expense. Does this someone come out to be cheaper than books (or other supplies these tablets may replace)? I ask because they are hurting badly for money.
 
AT06

AT06

macrumors 6502
Dec 30, 2012
312
4
Winwick, UK
The iPad can be an amazing tool in education, especially for those who have difficulties learning, or learning in the 'traditional' ways. Interactive textbooks, flash cards, reductions in paper, better communication between students outside of school - there are so many reasons for tablets in schools. This kind of innovation is exactly what schools need - a new way of making learning more engaging.
 
C

ChrisA

macrumors G5
Jan 5, 2006
12,578
1,695
Redondo Beach, California
I talked to a teacher who was involved in a pilot program. I went well.

One thing to remember is the text books can go on the iPad now. Those books are very expensive, more expensive than an iPad. Also you no longer need so much paper handouts and tests can be graded faster freeing a teacher for more productive work.

We will just have to wait and see about breakage and theft. Likely it will be no worse than with textbooks

This is NOT a lot of money. Assuming a three year lifetime for the iPad it is just $100 per semester per kid. If they last 5 years on average then the price is less. and there will be some re-sale value left. They will be able to sell off used iPads at $100 each. The cost will be made up for partly by the savings in text books
 
gkarris

gkarris

macrumors G3
Dec 31, 2004
8,301
1,061
"No escape from Reality...”
Isn't it illegal for companies to almost "give away" their goods to grab a foothold in companies and organizations?

I remember when Apple was starting loose a lot of share in education (the 90's) because Dell and MS were essentially giving away their goods to education institutes... :eek:
 
Cisco_Kid

Cisco_Kid

macrumors 6502
Apr 24, 2005
270
111
British Columbia
Back when I was a kid we used to walk uphill to school both ways, in the dark while it was snowing.

blah blah blah.... ;)

Computer penetration/integration is huge in Canada, our educational statistics prove it's a good thing.



Small White Car said:
I have always been suspect that "more computers" = "better education." But I think that's finally changing.

When I was a kid computers in school mostly just taught you how to use a computer. Anything more than that was stymied by the fact that:

1) They were too expensive for everyone to have their own.
2) The software available wasn't very robust, often just offering a single use.
3) When you were using a large PC or Mac screen you're generally not able to pay attention to anything else, like a lecture.

The iPad has gotten past all of these issues and are poised to be, not computers in a classroom, but rather textbook and note-pad replacements.

In light of all this I am much more interested in stories like this now than I was back in 1995.

I think this is a good move and an example of needing to 'wait for the right tech,' which is exactly how the iPad came into being in the first place.
Click to expand...
 
R

reden

macrumors 6502a
Aug 30, 2006
716
824
Ingot said:
Probably not. They are kept at school. When a teachers wants to use them in the class, they are all there ready to go without having to worry about going through the trouble of having to book them out ahead of time, retrieving them for the time they are needed, and then finding out some other class has taken them which means wasting time tracking them down and getting them into the hands of the students. One per child, kept in the classroom.
Click to expand...

My niece went to a school where they loaned her and all the other students an iPad for the whole year. It all depends on the school, and the policies they've put in place.
 
S

solamar

macrumors regular
Dec 30, 2008
179
72
ChrisA said:
I talked to a teacher who was involved in a pilot program. I went well.

One thing to remember is the text books can go on the iPad now. Those books are very expensive, more expensive than an iPad. Also you no longer need so much paper handouts and tests can be graded faster freeing a teacher for more productive work.
Click to expand...

I suspect Microsoft hoped to win based on MS Office alone.. Those $199 Surface are the RT version.. not nearly as useful... Plus, Microsoft doesn't have the book publishing side, or the intuitive applications developed for learning on the RT edition.

Apple has that.. and if the school needs something, you can literally just make it in iBooks, publish it to the kids or use iTunes U.. which is also geared toward schools and on-line learning..

Apple just had way to many benefits when it came to choice.. ironic when you hear it's a closed system .. ROFL!
 
D

donutbagel

macrumors 6502a
Jun 9, 2013
932
1
"Though Microsoft has been making a strong push to disrupt Apple's foothold in the education market by offering K-12 schools its Surface tablets at the low price of $199, its pricing incentives didn't have an effect on the Los Angeles Unified School District, reports AllThingsD."

Duh. LAUSD doesn't care how much anything costs :p
It's like Santa Monica College. They have brand new high-end iMacs to do the job that low-end 2007 iMacs could do easily.

Though even iPads instead of textbooks could be cheaper and better than textbooks as long as the teachers actually know how to use them.
 
M

MacDaddy15

macrumors newbie
Jun 11, 2013
6
0
Ipads in schools

As a H.S. teacher, I support this. However, the problem is that most teachers are not ready to go in terms of training/support. In fact the training that is available is not that great. Teacher grad programs are still behind the learning curve as well. At best, those in education are looking at blended learning as well as online learning. My district just installed wi-fi and it is still full of bugs. The IT guys cannot handle the increased workload as well. I suggested to our superintendent that they hire a couple more IT guys and he just stared at me in ignorance. Moreover, the textbook publishing companies, with the exception of Pearson, are not blended learning friendly. Now that Common Core is coming in (nation-wide), textbooks will have to be rewritten. That is, after all of the core subject areas are finalized (social science has yet to be reviewed). The idea of blended/online learning started in colleges/universities and now is being pushed on k-12. Finally, issues of theft/repair will come into play. This year in San Diego two schools had Ipads stolen. Once Ipads start appearing in schools, it won't be long before more thefts occur and these Ipads find their way to the swap meets. :)
 
F

fiveainone

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2011
761
76
I'm so enjoying MS failing with everything they do right now. For all those frustrating times we had to put up with in the MS days.
 
J

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
That district in Oklahoma or wherever that was first to do this a couple years ago is saying, "Hey, don't we matter, anymore?"
 
ArtOfWarfare

ArtOfWarfare

macrumors G3
Nov 26, 2007
9,561
6,059
lordofthereef said:
Well if the students rated the thing, of course cost didn't factor in. In not at all surprised that students rated the iPad higher. For one, the majority of them were already familiar with the OS. Of course, there has long been the Apple cool factor with young people as well. I also wouldn't doubt that the preloaded software blew the MS tablets away.

But anyway, in truly left wondering how LAUSD could justify this expense. Does this someone come out to be cheaper than books (or other supplies these tablets may replace)? I ask because they are hurting badly for money.
Click to expand...

My school district spends $800 / student, which my understanding is lower than the national average. Spending $678 / student for iPads, if it means not buying textbooks, notebooks, and other office supplies, doesn't seem like a bad choice... But I guess I'd have to see their actual numbers and see how much they'll actually be saving.
 
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