Apple and T-Mobile to Supply 1 Million iPads to California Students

[MacRumors]

Apple and T-Mobile are to supply students in California with up to one million iPads, according to a press release from the California Department of Education.

Apple and T-Mobile are collaborating to provide iPads with high-speed cellular connectivity to students across California, as planning for distance learning in the next school year takes shape. Apple and T-Mobile will fulfill orders directly from districts, offering significant discounts in addition to standard education volume pricing.

The global health crisis forced an estimated 97 percent of 6.2 million students in California to resume their education with distance learning, but many schools have experienced a shortage of devices to accommodate it. Since April, the State Superintendent, Governor's Office, state lawmakers, and various nonprofits, have been working to remove unjust barriers to education by working directly with internet service providers and tech companies.

"As schools are working around the clock to prepare students and families for virtual learning, I want to commend Apple and T-Mobile for stepping up in a monumental way to support California's neediest students," said State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. "As Californians, we have a shared commitment to ensure every student has access to the basic tools needed to connect to their learning, succeed in today's world, and pursue their dreams. This commitment provides schools across the state a unique chance to put devices in the hands of students now, while potentially making longer-term investments that can help us remove these inequities once and for all."

Apple's Professional Learning team will support teachers with weekly virtual training sessions, offering creative strategies for learning remotely. Apple will also offer one-to-one virtual coaching sessions at no additional cost.

"At Apple, we believe technology has the power to transform the learning experience for students at all levels," said Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Markets, Apps, and Services. "We are proud the State of California has chosen iPad to facilitate remote learning, and during these challenging times we look forward to working with administrators and school districts across the state to help make learning more accessible for their students."

California has included $5.3 billion in one-time funding in the state budget for schools to support distance learning, which can be used immediately to purchase the required devices. Apple and T-Mobile expect to be able to fulfill school district demand through the end of 2020.

Article Link: Apple and T-Mobile to Supply 1 Million iPads to California Students

 

[GeoStructural]

Can they make it multiuser as well?

(This is a good initiative btw).

 

[Baymowe335]

I’m surprised California has money for water, let alone iPads.

 

[hot-gril]

LAUSD tried to do this years ago for no reason, and it was an insane waste of money, plus they gave up on it. This time it actually makes sense.

 

[aggiefather]

I’m surprised California has money for water, let alone iPads.

They must be printing their own money!

 

[Geodextro]

I’m surprised California has money for water, let alone iPads.

The state with a larger economy than most European countries? I think they’ll be fine

 

[HappyIntro]

I’m surprised California has money for water, let alone iPads.

Huh? I don't get this. CA government has been in great fiscal shape for many years.

 

[gkarris]

A friend of mine home-schooled his children in the 90's, he said that it's the future...

the future is now...

 

[blacktape242]

The state with a larger economy than most European countries? I think they’ll be fine

of course they will be fine, they will just keep raising taxes.

 

[lenard]

I’m surprised California has money for water, let alone iPads.

I wonder...

 

[m4mario]

I’m surprised California has money for water, let alone iPads.

You mean the home base for Apple, Google, HP, Facebook, Netflix, Uber, Adobe, eBay, Cisco, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc, etc, etc. Are you saying this cradle for technology companies of the world has no money for water?

 

[chucker23n1]

So, 16% of students in CA just got a new iPad… not bad.

 

[yaxomoxay]

You mean the home base for Apple, Google, HP, Facebook, Netflix, Uber, Adobe, eBay, Cisco, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc, etc, etc. Are you saying this cradle for technology companies of the world has no money for water?

There is a difference between private money and public finance. California's FY20's budget is about $54,000,000,000 in the red, for example.

 

[katbel]

Very nice gesture! Let's hope they fix iTunes download meanwhile to help the students without an expensive internet and so many others!

 

[dontwalkhand]

This again? Hopefully it won’t end up like the LA debacle because now there’s proper tools in place to lock down the iPads.

 

[NMBob]

So, 16% of students in CA just got a new iPad… not bad.

Hook 'em while they are young.

 

[citysnaps]

The state with a larger economy than most European countries? I think they’ll be fine

That's true.

California's economy, with a 2019 GDP of $3.2 trillion, is the fifth largest in the world. USA, China, Japan, Germany, California, India, UK, ...

 

[NavySilver]

Please do favor low income districts that actually have a demand for them.

 

[yaxomoxay]

That's true.

California's economy, with a 2019 GDP of $3.2 trillion, is the fifth largest in the world. USA, China, Japan, Germany, California, India, UK, ...

It doesn't really mean anything in this context.
The question is not if private entities make money, or if the GDP is huge, but if the entity known as the State of California has money. California had to face a $54B deficit in the 2020 budget, this is what matters in this context.

 

[C DM]

It doesn't really mean anything in this context.
The question is not if private entities make money, or if the GDP is huge, but if the entity known as the State of California has money. California had to face a $54B deficit in the 2020 budget, this is what matters in this context.

In that sense it seems like many many states and countries don't have enough money for even water, let alone for anything else (going with what the original statement about that said in the beginning of the thread), which basically kind of makes it all fairly moot.

 

[bousozoku]

California is responsible for a great deal of the United States' economy, farming, and of course, cinema. You can drive for around 6 hours from Los Angeles toward San Francisco and see farm land.

Hopefully, this initiative will help students. As bad as California's schools are, they need to be improved, and this virus has given everyone a chance to improve, and to reconsider what school means.

 

[yaxomoxay]

In that sense it seems like many many states and countries don't have enough money for even water, let alone for anything else (going with what the original statement about that said in the beginning of the thread), which basically kind of makes it all fairly moot.

It doesn't make it moot, it makes it a bigger problem. States are facing several fiscal challenges; TX has a $5B deficit to handle (which isn't terrible considering the big economy). Now, not having money to buy water is a bit of a hyperbole, but saying that all is good from a public finance point of view because the private sector is doing fine and the GDP is big is plainly wrong.

 

[Aston441]

>”neediest students”

>picture of girl whose parents pay exorbitant taxes to keep the system afloat

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

I’m surprised California has money for water, let alone iPads.

Why does CA need money for water? They have US, the taxpaying residents who pay exorbitantly high water bills to pay for that water. I'm sure they're actually profiting off the water.

 

[Plutonius]

A friend of mine home-schooled his children in the 90's, he said that it's the future...

I bet your friend was directly involved in the home schooling of his children.

The problems occurs when the parents or parent are not available to monitor and support their children when they are learning remotely.

Without a parent or a teacher present for learning (K-8), I think that giving a student an iPad will not help that much.