Board weighs Apple renewal as district prepares to replace tens of thousands of devices

District IT staff briefed the committee on a proposed third and fourth renewal with Apple for procurement of Apple‑branded hardware, software and services, requesting a $10 million not‑to‑exceed authority over two years. The district reports a total instructional device fleet of 271,272 devices; Apple devices comprise roughly 15% of that fleet (about 40,000 devices). Based on a seven‑year lifecycle, staff estimated approximately 22,000 Apple devices will reach end‑of‑life by the end of the proposed contract term and noted an approximate replacement need of $12 million over two years, though the renewal authority requested was $10 million.

Board members asked IT staff for a breakdown of how iPads are used (IEP‑related assistive technology, K–2 instruction, nurse/health functions, and other classroom uses) and sought clarity on M/WBE subcontracting opportunities. Staff said they would provide additional detail on IEP usage and a list of Apple value‑added services and noted that Apple’s channel and service partners constrained WBE participation in configuration/subcontracting.