Students' iPad Insurance Could Cost Up to $45 Per Year

Parents of seventh grade students will have some options when it comes to insuring .

Assistant superintendent Dr. Carl Atinkinson discussed the options with the school board at its May 22 meeting.

found insurance coverage with Student Insurance Partners that would protect the iPads from accidental damage, theft, vandalism, fire, flood, natural disasters and power surges due to lightning strikes.

The three insurance options available are: $34 a year with a $100 deductible, $39 a year with a $50 deductible, or $45 a year with a $25 deductible.

Atkinson said the insurance policy does not cover a lost device, but the district is able to track the devices in order to locate them.

“We believe we’ll be able to find (an iPad) if someone loses it,” he said.

“We liken it to a textbook. If it’s in their possession, they are accountable,” said superintendent Dr. Sandra Fellin.

Fellin acknowledged that parents may not be able to pay the $399 for the lost device and said the district would be willing to work with parents in terms of a payment plan.

Atkinson said parents will also have the option of insuring iPads on their own, under their homeowners insurance policies, and students can leave their iPads at school if their parents choose not to purchase any type of insurance.

The district has also completed a first draft of . The policy explains students’ (and staff) responsibilities when using district technology.

School board member Ralph Puerta expressed concerns about students’ privacy rights.

“We will make sure the policy integrates with the due process afforded to students,” said the board's solicitor, Mark Fitzgerald.

However, Fitzgerald noted that “privacy is significantly limited” when using district-owned devices and the district network.