Classroom Technology News in Brief

FBI Seizes District Records for L.A.'s iPad Purchase

By Sean Cavanagh — December 09, 2014 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

FBI agents have seized records related to the Los Angeles district’s massive purchase of digital devices, in the latest and most dramatic sign of trouble sweeping over the technology project.

Schools Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines revealed last week that the FBI had taken 20 boxes of evidence from the facilities-services division at district headquarters. In a statement, Mr. Cortines said the seizure was part of an investigation of the “procurement practices involving the Common Core Technology Project,” the name of the ambitious attempt to provide all the district’s 640,000 students with iPads.

That effort, launched by Mr. Cortines’ predecessor, former schools chief John Deasy, represents one of the largest ed-tech purchases by any district in the nation’s history. Its cost has been estimated at $1 billion.

A version of this article appeared in the December 10, 2014 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Inside PLCs: Proven Strategies from K-12 Leaders
Join an expert panel to explore strategies for building collaborative PLCs, overcoming common challenges, and using data effectively.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Making Science Stick: The Engaging Power of Hands-On Learning
How can you make science class the highlight of your students’ day while
achieving learning outcomes? Find out in this session.
Content provided by LEGO Education
Teaching Profession Key Insights to Elevate and Inspire Today’s Teachers
Join this free half day virtual event to energize your teaching and cultivate a positive learning experience for students.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Classroom Technology Opinion How ‘Innovation’ Fails Education
"Innovation” is mostly an unserious distraction from the real work of rethinking education.
7 min read
The United States Capitol building as a bookcase filled with red, white, and blue policy books in a Washington DC landscape.
Luca D'Urbino for Education Week
Classroom Technology Leader To Learn From This Tech Director Is Revolutionizing Special Education With Gaming
Evan Abramson led the creation of an esports arena for students with autism spectrum disorder. It may be the first in the country.
12 min read
Evan Abramson, 47, Director of Technology and Innovation at Morris-Union Jointure Commission, sits for a portrait at the school in Warren, N.J., on Jan. 15, 2025. Morris-Union Jointure Commission works primarily with students up to the age of 21 on the autism spectrum. Abramson, through his experience watching his own son with special needs play video games, helped bring an e-sports lab to life at the school in order to help students better regulate themselves.
Evan Abramson, the director of technology and innovation at Morris-Union Jointure Commission, in Warren, N.J., on Jan. 15, 2025. Abramson spearheaded an esports program to help students on the autism spectrum connect with one another and learn new skills. The gaming arena where students play together may be the first-of-its-kind in the country.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
Classroom Technology Q&A How a District's Embrace of Esports Is Transforming Special Education
Esports can help build 'soft skills' such as collaboration and teamwork, for students in special education, one district leader says.
3 min read
Evan Abramson, 47, director of technology and innovation at Morris-Union Jointure Commission, sits for a portrait at the school in Warren, N.J., on Jan. 15, 2025.
Evan Abramson, the director of technology and innovation at Morris-Union Jointure Commission, assists a student playing video games in the district's esports arena in Warren, N.J., on Jan. 15, 2025.
Michelle Gustafson for Education Week
Classroom Technology From Our Research Center Who Pays for Repairs to Students’ School-Issued Devices?
Providing every student with a school-issued device has become commonplace in K-12 schools, but it's costly to maintain.
2 min read
Tightly cropped photo of a group of students sitting at their desks in the classroom using laptops.
E+