Wausau School District board approves referendum-funded purchase of iPads for two middle schools

The Wausau School District Board of Education voted March 9 to approve using funds from the district’s April 2022 referendum to buy iPads for its two middle schools following a presentation on instructional benefits, device lifecycle costs and staff readiness. The motion carried after brief board questions and no recorded roll-call tally was provided in the transcript.

Presenters told the board that teachers prompted the change to increase student engagement, collaboration and feedback, and that iPads support multimodal student work—audio, video and annotation—without third‑party accessibility add-ons. "The iPad brings more depth and possibilities for students to create and demonstrate learning," a presenter said during the board briefing.

The finance case presented to the board argued that an up‑front purchase, combined with expected resale value of used iPads, lowers net cost versus a Chromebook refresh cycle. Presenters said their procurement contract for the devices was time‑sensitive and noted recent market volatility for memory and components tied to global demand; the presentation materials listed the item cost as "$610,65" (format as shown in the meeting materials). District staff said referendum funds and an existing budget line together make the purchase feasible.

Board members asked about classroom usage, device performance and alternative devices. One board member noted past Chromebook performance issues; presenters responded that new iPad models offer improved RAM and responsiveness compared with older device fleets. Questions about third‑party cases and buyback were answered by staff who said the cases meet Apple’s required specifications and do not affect buyback eligibility for the devices themselves.

Presenters also reviewed staff input: a fall survey of 122 middle‑school staff showed roughly two‑thirds supported the shift, about 74% said they were ready to explore iPad use to enhance learning, and a majority indicated willingness to engage in professional development. The district plans additional PD in April, May and August.

The board approved the motion to proceed; presenters said the district will use referendum funds and device resale proceeds to offset costs and will continue roll‑out planning and professional development. The presentation and vote concluded the item; the transcript does not record a detailed roll‑call vote tally.