By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
President-elect Donald Trump will begin his second term in the White House on Jan. 20. Already his proposed policies are impacting smaller government. Each year, USD 428 replenishes one-third of its Chromebook computers that are used by Great Bend students. Monday evening, Superintendent Khris Thexton suggested purchasing the Chromebooks now rather than later in the year.
"Usually, we bring these later in the year but we were made aware of possible tariffs that might be implemented shortly," he said, "and that it was best to get these ordered and get them coming prior to that possible up to 20 percent increase in costs."
The district will purchase 1,100 Acer C736 Chromebooks from Chicago-based CDW Government for $302,500, the same price as last year. Licenses for each computer will also cost the same at a total of $35,200. Protective cases will cost a total of $20,900. The total cost is $358,600.
"These are the new cases we put on the Chromebooks," Thexton said. "They're a lot more substantial and they've done a better job protecting Chromebooks than in the past. They're actually $5 less than they were in previous years."
The district replaces one-fifth of its computers and one-third of its Chromebooks each year.