After iPad fiasco, L.A. schools nearing completion of $789M network modernization plan

The Los Angeles Unified School District is close to wrapping up a $789 million plan to expand and improve wireless internet access in its school and 12 schools are piloting a network convergence program geared toward LAN modernization.

By the end of this school year, the program aims to replace old cables, switchers and routers and increase bandwidth; modernize 95 percent of the existing school networks; add 37 technology aides; and improve network security at the majority of schools.

The dozen trial candidates are having their legacy telephone lines, public address systems, intercommunications and notifications systems transferred over and provisioned through a single network pipe, which the Information Technology Division (ITD) says will improve services and lower costs.

Taking up about $329,000 of the designated funding for the project, the LAN modernization project is eating up the majority of the money going into the program.

As of October 2015, about 95 percent of the network modernization projects were finished.

L.A.'s progress with the program coincides with the final chapter in a failed $1.3 billion plan to give an iPad to every student, teacher and administrator in the L.A. Unified School District. The fallout from underwhelming curriculum software provided by Pearson left Apple on the hook for a $4.2 million settlement and Pearson responsible for another $6.4 million.

For more:
- read this L.A. School Report article
- see this report
- read this L.A. Times article

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