Maintenance fee proposed for Chromebooks at Somerset Berkley Regional

SOMERSET — The Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee is considering a policy that would ask families to pay an extended maintenance fee to cover repairs or replacement of Chromebooks issued to students, rather than asking them to buy insurance for that coverage.

The cost for the extended maintenance fee would be $25 per year or a student could pay the whole $100 up front. Students will be able to keep the Chromebooks after graduating from Somerset Berkley Regional High School.

Somerset Berkley Regional School Committee member Stephanie Field said the extended maintenance fee was proposed by administration of the high school after gathering data from the last two years when parents were asked to pay for insurance for the Chromebooks. Field said the insurance fell short by $10,000 because of 350 students who did not buy it for their Chromebooks. For that reason, she said the high school wants to move toward an in-house repair program.

Field said the intention of the technology department at the high school is to have an inventory of parts for repairs.

Field said another issue with covering the Chromebooks with insurance has to do with the amount of time it takes to replace the device after making a claim.

Field said it would be less expensive and faster to repair and replace Chromebooks in house at the high school rather than through insurance. Regional School Committee member Julie Ramos Gagliardi asked if SBRHS students could make repairs to the Chromebooks. School Superintendent Jeffrey Schoonover said that is the goal for the future.

Schoonover said extensive repairs have not been needed for Chromebooks at the high school. He said students have taken good care of the devices. Schoonover said one of the most common problems has been cracked monitors which he said could be fixed in five minutes at the high school before the end of a class, as opposed to packaging it, filling out paperwork and mailing it out as they have to do for an insurance claim.

If students do not pay for the extended maintenance fee, there are costs listed in the policy that they would have to pay for repairs or replacement of the Chromebook. They include $20 for a hinge set or WiFi cord, $25 for a top or bottom cover or protective case, $30 for an LCD Bezel, $35 for a touch pad, $45 for an LCD back cover or LCD panel, $55 for a battery and $70 for a keyboard. SBRHS will protect the device against accidental damage, theft, fire, flood, natuural disasters, power surge and vandalism. Police reports will have to be filed through law enforcement for theft, fire, flood and vandalism. The extended maintenance fee will cover full replacement cost coverage and will protect the item worldwide. If the damage is deemed intentional, the student will be responsible for the replacement or repair costs. Lost items are not covered by the extended maintenance fee. If a Chromebook is lost, the replacement cost is approximately $250. In the case of damage or theft, the high school will make a loaner Chromebook available while the device is being repaired or replaced.

Schoonover said students can not be required to pay the maintenance fee.

Field noted that the extended maintenance fee will be five dollars less per year than the insurance was.

Gagliardi noted that there is information in the policy about how to take care of the Chromebooks, dangers on the Internet and filters.

Schoonover said there will be a timeframe to pay for the extended maintenance fee that will be within the first two months of the school year. He said the only exception would be for new students who enroll at the high school in the middle of the school year.

The Regional School Committee approved the first reading of the policy last Thursday. It approves of two readings of policies before they are finalized.