As thousands of students across the state of Virginia begin classes today comes word that high school students in Fairfax County will be given school-issued laptops. That’s 188,000 students at 198 schools. Chantilly was one of the test schools. Students, there were given laptops in 2016 through a state grant.

Fairfax County Schools start at the end of the month. It’s a big deal and life changing for many. The computers use Google Docs or Google Forms. The goal is to do the same for all students by 2023.  The program is apart of a 5 year initiative by Dell Latitude 3300. The estimated cost 30 million dollars.

The outcome from early research showed mixed results in the educational outcome of students given the electronic device. Fairfax county’s school system is the largest in the state. Their outcome is being studied by Johns Hopkins University.

Some question if having the laptops will improve test scores. The Assistant Superintendent of Fairfax County Schools Sloan Presidio said the computers are not specifically for that but they are important for improving skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

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