Chicago Public Schools is considering a significant investment of up to $60 million over four years for a new system to track its vast inventory of student and staff electronic devices. The proposal follows an internal audit that revealed tens of thousands of laptops and tablets were lost or stolen in recent years.
Key Takeaways
- Chicago Public Schools may approve a contract worth up to $60 million with technology supplier CDW to track district devices.
- The plan comes after an Inspector General report found 77,000 devices were marked as lost or stolen in 2021 and 2022.
- The new system will use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to automate inventory and monitor equipment in real time.
- Experts caution that the system's success depends on proper staff training and implementation, citing the district's past issues with asset management.
A High-Tech Response to a Costly Problem
The Chicago Board of Education is set to vote on a multi-year contract with CDW, a Vernon Hills-based technology firm, to implement an automated asset management system. This move is a direct response to persistent issues with tracking the more than 636,000 devices distributed across the district.
The proposed solution utilizes Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, which are already present on many of the district's devices. This technology is designed to allow for real-time tracking, alerting officials if a device leaves a school building without authorization and simplifying the annual inventory process.
During a recent board meeting, Paul Valente, the district's facilities automation architect, described the potential benefits from a hands-on perspective. As a former school technology coordinator, he recalled spending weeks manually searching for misplaced devices. "I would have really loved to have had this service because it would have automatically counted the devices for me," Valente said.
Background: The Pandemic Tech Spree
The need for a robust tracking system became critical after CPS invested heavily in technology to support remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The district embarked on a $308 million spending initiative to ensure every student had access to a laptop or tablet, rapidly expanding its device inventory and the logistical challenges of managing it.
Addressing Past Failures
The proposed contract follows a critical report from the district's Inspector General released in early 2024. The report highlighted what it called an unacceptable number of lost devices and a lack of accountability in safeguarding school property. It found that in 2021 and 2022 alone, the district had marked approximately 77,000 devices as lost or stolen.
In response to the findings, CPS initiated several policy changes aimed at improving oversight. According to a district statement, these efforts have already yielded positive results, helping to reduce the annual device loss rate from 11% to 7%.
"It should be noted that this work goes beyond the recommendations outlined in the OIG report," the district said, positioning the new CDW contract as "a key component of this continued progress."
Officials state the new system will enable faster recovery of misplaced equipment and provide a more accurate, ongoing inventory count, moving away from the burdensome annual manual audits.
Expert Skepticism and Implementation Hurdles
While the technology offers a potential solution, some experts urge caution. Bart Epstein, an education technology specialist, noted that the investment's value is entirely dependent on its execution. He pointed out that technology alone cannot solve a human resources and process problem.
"Chicago has a history of purchasing asset management technology and not using it properly," Epstein commented. "An RFID system automates the counting of devices, but it does not eliminate the humans. Even a great technology that’s poorly implemented is useless."
Staffing and Accountability
Proper implementation will rely on the district's roughly 150 technology coordinators. This number is slightly lower than in 2020, before the massive influx of new devices. Experts stress that these staff members must be thoroughly trained on the new system and held accountable for its use for the $60 million investment to pay off.
Financial Questions and Contract Details
The proposed expenditure of $15 million per year comes as CPS navigates significant financial challenges. Despite the high price tag, school board members did not raise questions about the cost during a preliminary meeting. However, they did inquire why a lower-priced bid for the contract was not selected.
Officials acknowledged that another vendor had submitted a lower-cost proposal but did not provide further details. The district stated that information on the four submitted proposals would become public only after a contract is formally signed.
The potential for broader use of the technology was also mentioned. Valente noted that the district's facilities department is considering adopting the CDW system to track its own valuable equipment, suggesting the investment could have benefits beyond just student laptops.
