In August, AAPS started the year by giving all high school students a brand new MacBook Air 13.The decision of new MacBooks for all students was made official over the 2025 summer break. Our previous computers, Chromebooks, were slow and didn’t have enough computing power for students.
“The district performs equipment refreshment audits every year,” says Manager of Mobile Computing & Instructional Integration Chad Bertelson. “The AAPS Tech Team received feedback from both teachers and students that a Chromebook was not full-featured or robust enough for the demands of high school.”
According to the department of technology, concerns about the Chromebooks drove the decision to switch to MacBooks. “It was a recommendation from the Department of Technology at the district level,” says Principal Casey Elmore.“They had been investigating and kind of gathering feedback from students and teachers about Chromebook usage.”
The district spent $1,400 per student for each MacBook, compared to $200 per student for the Chromebooks. “They were purchased through a technology bond,” says Elmore. “With the bond, we also purchased [the] Apple Care…support plan.”
If a student has an issue with their MacBook or it breaks, protocols have been put in place to make sure the student is still able to complete their classwork. “If one of them breaks, you would go to the library,” Elmore says. “They would give you a Chromebook to use until yours is repaired and brought back.”
The MacBook 13 is a top of the line computer. “Every student has one of the highest quality machines on the market right now, with all of the updates and available tools,” Elmore says.
A key purpose in securing better computers for all was fairnewss. Students who couldn’t afford better laptops were forced to use the outdated Chromebooks. Students who could afford higher quality machines were at an academic advantage.“It brings some equity,” says Elmore. “There’s also network security, so everybody’s computer has some district controls on it to keep the network safe from attacks and things from the outside that may cause issues or make our information vulnerable.”
Compared to the Chromebooks, the MacBooks are “definitely faster,” Elmore says. “The MacBook just has a lot more integrated features and accessibility options that are built into it and that you can access on Apple platform.”
Students have noticed the substantial increase in performance. “It’s definitely more efficient,” says Endy Porter (‘27). “It’s way faster, and has a wider variety of apps that are needed for certain classes.”
