Keeping students connected: How San Juan Unified maintains technology access through annual Chromebook inventory

Each year, San Juan Unified’s Technology Services team conducts a districtwide Chromebook inventory to ensure every student has access to the tools they need for learning. 

In a time when technology is essential for research, assignments and testing, reliable devices play an important role in supporting student achievement and equity. 

Students are introduced to real-world skills through the use of Chromebooks – from collaborating to designing to the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), these and more tools are preparing students for post-secondary education, career and life. 

By tracking, repairing and replacing thousands of devices each summer, the district is able to keep classrooms connected and instruction uninterrupted.

With more than 47,000 Chromebooks in circulation across the district, inventory began in March to prepare for the large distribution of new Chromebooks over the summer. 

There is an expected distribution of 84 carts, bringing over 3,000 new Chromebooks to schools across San Juan Unified. 

“The distribution of carts depends on the schools’ needs. Not every classroom is going to get a cart. It all depends on what the teacher is using them for,” shared technology services coordinator Esteban Ramirez.

Staff and students are encouraged to keep the devices stored in the cart they originally arrived in to avoid misplacement and ensure that they are fully charged. At a full charge, the laptops can last throughout the school day, providing learners with no disruption during class. 

Each Chromebook is configured to have the school site’s settings and access to San Juan Unified’s WiFi network. With these unique settings, all learners are granted access to any device in their school by logging in with their credentials. 

“A student can pick up and log into any Chromebook and have access to all their data,” said Ramirez. 

Through the use of installed applications, students can work worry-free as all their documents are saved automatically and stored in their drive.

Students are encouraged to follow safety practices when handling technology. When the devices are handled with care, they last longer and are available for learning. Each classroom provides further guidelines to follow along with school and district rules on how to use computers and the internet.

After older Chromebook models and damaged devices are replaced at schools, they are sorted by damage and later saved for parts, repaired or disposed of as electronic waste (e-waste). 

At San Juan Unified, the most common support ticket has been to report damaged equipment. A leading cause of damage is due to vandalism, ranging from cracked screens to burnt laptops. 

“It’s a tool that they are using every day. Toward the end of the year, there is not enough material to swap out immediately,” said technology support specialist Richard Tonti. “We generally work to get things turned around within a day or two.”

While the larger work is completed over the summer, technical support is available throughout the school year. 

School sites can request assistance through the San Juan Unified Help Desk. Based on the request, a Technology Services staff member will then visit the school to collect any damaged equipment and replace it with a working product on the spot.

Watch the video below to learn more about Chromebook safety and care.