Chicago Public Schools purchases 100,000 laptops, prepares to shut down some classrooms again

CHICAGO — Chicago Public Schools officials accept purchased 100,000 new laptops in anticipation of more than students needing to take classes remotely in January if cases of the coronavirus surge.

But district officials still hope to avert a system-wide return to remote learning, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Leaders of the nation’southward third-largest school district this month asked its Board of Education to spend more on computers than initially planned in an August 2020 agreement that totaled $120 meg over three school years.

The new plan increases the total to $296 million over three schoolhouse years. The district also said this week that it purchased another 100,000 laptops for about $39 million.

Spokeswoman Sylvia Barragan said that purchase was “in training for more classrooms to switch to remote learning if needed amidst a possible COVID-19 surge in January.”

CEO Pedro Martinez has repeatedly said the district will non shut down unless in that location is a citywide club requiring it and volition go along making closure decisions based on individual schools or classrooms. But in that location is heightened business most a spike in new coronavirus cases following the district’s wintertime suspension and the omicron variant’southward arrival.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Tuesday that many businesses including restaurants and bars must require proof of vaccination starting Jan. 3.