APS Student Tech Grades 5-12

At Austin Public Schools, all students in grades 5-12 are eligible to receive a district-issued Windows laptop and charger. Students may also elect to bring their own device (BYOD), provided the devices meets certain criteria (see below).

• There is a $30 tech fee which covers laptop repairs due to normal wear and tear. This fee does not cover replacement chargers.
• Any repairs or replacements due to misuse will incur additional fees. Fees applied will be invoiced to families and payable in Campus Portal.
  
• Students will receive a loaner device if their assigned device needs repair.

• All devices grades 5-12 are distributed at the beginning of the school year and turned in at the end of the year.
• Any laptop not returned will incur a replacement fee.

BYOD Requirements

If students elect to BYOD, the device must meet the following requirements:

• Must have at least a 10 inch screen
• Must be able to connect to wifi
• Must have a physical keyboard

Please keep in mind, Chromebooks and iPads may not be able to run all required 5-12 software and students are responsible for their own repairs, support, and downloads should they elect to BYOD.

Internet and Device Use at School

• APS network filtering complies with all federal laws and state statutes regarding student safety and data privacy.
• The school network is additionally filtered to remove access to online games, social media, streaming video, gambling, etc. while at school.
• Students using district-issued devices only have access to one web browser, Microsoft Edge, which allows the district to protect against unsafe extensions and downloads.
• Personal phone use is discouraged and personal hotspots are not allowed.
• All students are required to sign the APS Acceptable Use Policy, which lays out expectations for their online behavior.
• Any student violating the district AUP may face behavior consequences in the classroom or from administration.

Internet and Device Use at Home

• Students using district-issued devices on home or public WIFI have the base-level of network filtering that protects against unsafe and 18+ content.
• Families have the right and responsibility to manage device use at home. This can include: setting time limits, requiring device use in an open area, storing the device in a secure location etc.