Posted on 04/17/2015 7:24:37 AM PDT by C19fan
The Los Angeles Unified School District is seeking to recoup millions of dollars from technology giant Apple over a problem-plagued curriculum that was provided with iPads intended to be given to every student, teacher and administrator.
To press its case, the Board of Education on Tuesday authorized its attorneys in a closed-door meeting to explore possible litigation against Apple and Pearson, the company that developed the curriculum as a subcontractor to Apple.
L.A. schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines “made the decision that he wanted to put them on notice, Pearson in particular, that he’s dissatisfied with their product,” said David Holmquist, general counsel for the nation’s second-largest school system. He said millions of dollars could be at stake.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
It looks like the disaster there was “Pearson” ... and I picked that up from some other accounts. I would say Pearson’s business is done for ... now ... but Apple will keep right on expanding with their iPads, with a better partner in the future!
And of course, pinging Swordmaker for the Apple list ... :-) ...
Well, there you have it. Low income kids need an iPad because wealthy kids have them. Its a Civil Right. Is it wise to give out that much expensive technology in an unproven program to kids who likely will lose, sell or damage it? For a curriculum that is unproven? Details, details. Its a Civil Right and that's all that matters.
Civil Rights imperative poor kids can waste time looking at cat videos on YouTube just like rich kids. The difference the parents of rich kids will yank the devices away while I doubt there is much of that going in single parent households.
If they were just taught the the 3Rs they would be better off than their wealthier peers.
Also liked the part about the online materials from Pearson not being adaptable to those not proficient in English. In L.A.? LOL - that's every student isn't it?
Education should be limited to books, pen, and paper.
We have still not I.proved upon the model used in 1970.
The “problem” ...
— — —
Under the contract, Pearson was to provide English and math curriculum. The district selected Pearson based only on samples of curriculum — nothing more was available.
Pearson could offer only a partial curriculum during the first year of the license, which was permitted under the agreement. Teachers and principals never widely embraced the product.
Although the threatened legal action applies to Apple and Pearson, the district also sent letters Tuesday to two other companies: Lenovo, a device maker, and Arey Jones, a computer distributor. These companies also have included the Pearson product on some devices purchased by L.A. Unified.
It wasn’t an “iPad problem” it was a “Pearson problem” which also extended to Lenovo, not only Apple ... :-) ...
Pearson, not Apple, to blame for failed L.A. schools technology program
Though the Los Angeles Unified School District’s demand for a multi-million dollar refund from Apple has grabbed headlines, the failure of the $1.3 billion program to create a new digital curriculum for Los Angles students appears to lie primarily with educational publishing company Pearson.
In addition to threatening litigation against Apple and Pearson — the two primary contractors on the project — the district has also asked for refunds from Chinese PC manufacturer Lenovo and California computer distributor Arey Jones, according to the Los Angeles Times. Pearson’s unusable software was cited in those requests as well.
In March, project director Bernadette Lucas told LAUSD staff in an internal memorandum that just 2 of 69 schools use Pearson’s materials regularly, thanks to technical or other issues. The balance “have given up on attempting regular use of the app,” she wrote.
Under the terms of Apple’s contract with the district, the company was responsible for provisioning one iPad per student with a number of apps, including Pearson’s digital curriculum, on board. Pearson acted as a subcontractor for Apple, and was slated to deliver the new curriculum in three phases.
According to a Pearson scope-of-work document attached to the project, the curriculum was to be a “unique digital design created expressly to make use of the Apple iPad.”
Critically — and despite being listed in workflow documents as a prerequisite — Pearson’s software was not ready prior to the start of the project. District administrators were only provided with samples.
This means that in effect, the district bought iPads to run software that did not yet exist.
“I believe that it is time for Pearson to either deliver on its promises immediately or provide us with a refund so that we can purchase curriculum that actually works for our students,” board member Monica Ratliff said.
Are you telling me or axting me?
LOL ... if you don’t be careful, I’m going to ax you again! ... :-) ...
These fools spent millions to outfit every kid with a their own portable storefront to the Apple store. The homos that run apple must have been laughing.
I'd argue that the disaster was/is the LA Unified School District (and Government Education in general).
You spend millions on a product without verifying that it works - or provides the function that you desire - you are a fool. Of course since they are spending other people's money - the taxpayers - without any accountability, I guess we are the bigger fools.
If Apple got paid for it, then subcontracted it to Pearson, then it's on Apple.
Actually Apple didn’t ... but some student hackers ended up hacking their way to access it, anyway ... LOL ...
I would say that it’s Pearson who is in a heap of trouble here with their company. Apple will do fine with another partner.
As for the problem with LENOVO and the Los Angeles School District ... no one is even bothering to waste much ink on them ... :-) ... no one would bother reading this is they headlined it with LENOVO ... LOL ...
Yeah ... you’ve got a point there.
The IPad purchase was a bureaucratic Hail Mary to get past their corps of incompetent teachers. Granted, some of those teachers suffer from the mandated lack of classroom discipline, but the problem is there until we change the entire management system in LASD.
Pearson will suffer ... Apple won’t ... :-) ...
Neither apple nor pearson could figure out how to put some pdf books onto an ipad.
Things will get better when they get every student an iWatch.
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