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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Rogue Valley gubernatorial candidate blasts Gov. Brown on climate change ... Historical Society executive director stepping down ... Police say Grants Pass man admits to 50 vehicle thefts in Rogue Valley ... Rogue Valley gubernatorial candidate blasts Gov. Brown on climate change ... Historical Society executive director stepping down ... Police say Grants Pass man admits to 50 vehicle thefts in Rogue Valley ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: $25 iPad fee covers accidental damages Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 13, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Sep. 13, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Why is the Eagle Point School District charging students for the iPads? — Carol E., Medford Carol, the mandatory technology fee is Eagle Point School District’s way of asking students and parents to put some skin in the game. The school district purchased 1,000 iPads over the past five years and, this year, decided to lease an additional 3,100 iPads from Apple for an annual cost of $492,000. Students are required to pay a $25 tech fee and are given the option of buying a $5 iPad cover (worth $30) from the district or providing their own. “The tech fee is kind of insurance for the parent so that if the device is dropped, broken or damaged in some way on accident then the school will repair or replace it at our cost,” said David Whitehead, the district’s information technology supervisor. The first time a student accidentally breaks or damages the iPad, it’s covered. However, if it happens again, the parents will have to pay another $30, and if there’s a third incident, $60. “Anything determined to be malicious is not covered, and the school will be contacting the parent to determine who is responsible for whatever happened and to determine damages and who’s going to pay,” Whitehead said. Discounts of up to 50 percent are available for low-income families based on their free or reduced-price lunch status. The fee is waived for foster children, and families with more than one child in the district can appeal to their kids’ principals for a discount, Whitehead said. The tech fees, he added, go into a fund that is used to cover the cost of repairs. The iPads that the high school students will receive are valued at $579, while the younger students will receive iPads with less capacity that are valued at $379. “Even if the tech fee was a charge for an iPad, that’s a pretty good price,” Whitehead said. “I mean $30 for a $579 iPad — not bad.” Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected] . To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Sep. 13, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501