Des Plaines Elementary District 62 giving laptops to families in need

Rather than shipping off old computers to be recycled, Des Plaines Elementary District 62 has been giving hundreds of laptops to families in need.

While the district tries to keep laptops in use for as long as possible, the computers reach the point where the operating systems can no longer be updated, said Nelson Gray, assistant superintendent for business services.

The laptops still work, but they can no longer run the programs needed for classwork, he said. That's when school social workers and principals identify families in need.

For the past several years, depending on the need, the district has given out about 100 or more laptops annually, Gray said. The district gave out 122 laptops over the past school year.

Once the district gives away laptops, it no longer is responsible for the devices or maintenance, Gray said.

"We are really looking at where kids learn nowadays and kids learn digitally," Gray said. "I think it's important for them to have access."