Starting this fall, all of Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School District 307's students will have school-issued Chromebooks to use in the classroom and at home.

Last week, the district's school board agreed to purchase 750 Chromebooks for $153,000 to equip all of its 2,100 students with the new technology. The school will assign Chromebooks it already has to students, as well.

The district had been working toward its 1:1 technology initiative for the past four years. In that time, it paid about $450,000 to retrofit the high school and install additional infrastructure to support wireless internet throughout the building.

By taking those steps, BBCHS is latching on to a growing trend that has seen classrooms shift from textbooks and chalkboards to tech. In the past few years, Momence, Grant Park, Bourbonnais Elementary, Pembroke and Kankakee's school districts have implemented 1:1 technology initiatives.

Here's a closer look at BBCHS' plans for the Chromebooks:

<strong>Curriculum</strong>

Four years ago, BBCHS' curriculum team started stepping away from a textbook-driven approach. Since then, it has implemented standard-based grading and now all of its students will have Chromebooks.

Tiffany Kohl, the district's curriculum director, said those actions reflect a changing culture of learning that focuses more on building skill sets rather than repeating information. It's also preparing students for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) jobs for the future.

"We are really looking at creating a student body that has the skills to collaborate, communicate and be creative," Kohl said. "With a device in their hand, the ability to do that is greater in all courses."

Throughout the past few years, more BBCHS teachers have started using Google Classroom to communicate and provide resources to students. Chromebooks have mostly been used in English classrooms, while social science and mathematics classes have tapped into the devices on occasion.

Now, teachers of all subject areas can customize lesson plans with the new technology. But, don't expect the Chromebooks to replace teachers.

"Technology is never going to lead the way of education, but I think it's going to be side-by-side with quality instruction," said Rob White, the district's assistant curriculum director and an AP science teacher. "It's just another tool in a teacher's toolbox."

And to the school's curriculum team, it is a more useful tool than a textbook. The school's science department already has started using "techbooks," and the new technology will give students more access to updated information, as opposed to waiting several years for the new edition of a textbook.

"Technology gives us an opportunity to make education more personal," White said. "The textbook is not your curriculum. You have to escape that trap by putting the best resource in front of your students for the topic they are studying.

"It could be a YouTube channel, computer simulation, hands-on investigation or a traditional textbook. No matter what it is, it's your job as a teacher to provide your students with the what helps them learn best."

<strong>Technology for all</strong>

Technology has become more accessible than it was a decade ago, and by distributing Chromebooks to take home, BBCHS is preparing its students for life after high school.

It's also trying to close a socioeconomic gap in academic performance by making sure every student has access to technology. About 40 percent of BBCHS' student population comes from lower-income families, according to the state board of education.

"Learning should not be allotted for the haves versus the have-nots. Unfortunately, in many cases, that's what it is," Superintendent Scott Wakeley said. "Some families can afford technology for their children, while others cannot, and our students' adult lives will revolve around technology.

"Education is the ultimate equalizer over poverty and wealth. It takes away economic status. When you go to college, college doesn't care whether you are a have or a have-not. All it cares about is whether you are a can or cannot-do. We want all our students to accomplish their goals, and this is part of that."

In the coming months, the school board will finalize policies for student use. Wakeley said students will have an option to purchase their Chromebooks when they graduate, but a price has yet to be determined.