April 10, 2008

 News Release

TISD Teachers Receive Laptop Computers

            Today’s classroom teacher needs the ability to access instructional resources not only in the classroom but at other locations.  To support these needs, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved the purchase of 1,260 Dell Latitude 530 laptop computers with docking stations for every teacher in Tyler ISD.  The first delivery and installation of these new laptop computers will be on Monday, April 14, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. at Robert E. Lee High School located at 411 ESE Loop 323 in Tyler. 

            The laptops will be equipped with a docking station, monitor, keyboard, and mouse to enable teachers to use as a desktop PC for daily administrative functions such as taking attendance, creating lesson plans, grade book and E-mail.  A three year Computrace LOJACK anti-theft software subscription is also included in the price. The LOJACK system allows law enforcement to recover a stolen laptop.

“The district’s investment in laptops represents a big step forward in technology for our teachers,” said John Orbaugh, Director of Technology Services.  “The ability to access instructional materials and data anytime and anywhere they are needed gives our teachers a level of flexibility they have never had before.  The Technology Services department is pleased that we can deliver these new computers to our staff before the end of this school year and grateful for the support our Board of Trustees shows for technology in Tyler ISD.”

The existing teacher desktop PCs will be re-purposed as student PCs. The re-purposed PCs will enable the district to remove outdated equipment and increase the overall number of computers available for student use.

The current desktop PCs used by Tyler ISD’s teachers are now five years old.  The district’s technology plan identified the replacement of teacher computers as a priority for the 2007 – 2008 school year. 

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