Lack of cases delays delivery of computers to high school students in Rock Hill

Students at Rock Hill’s three high school may not get individual laptop computers until early next year – three months after the promised delivery.

Production of protective cases for the HP Elite Book 840 is holding up delivery, Rock Hill schools spokesman Mychal Frost said Friday.

The school district purchased 5,000 HP computers for students at Northwestern, Rock Hill and South Pointe high schools. The computers are part of the district’s iRock one-to-one initiative that provides computers or tablets for students in grades three through high school.

The total cost of the 5,000 HP computers, cases and software was $5 million, paid from bond funds approved in a May referendum.

Frost said the cases for the HP computers had to designed and manufactured, delaying the October delivery date.

The cases are being made in China and shipped to a third party which is preparing the HP computers for Rock Hill schools.

Frost said no timetable has been set for delivery to the schools, but it could be delayed until next year.

He said the delay has not had a direct impact in high school classrooms, but it has made it more “challenging” to use the district’s web-based Canvass system. Canvass allows students to submit their work and take tests online as well as interact with their teachers.

Students with their own computers or tablets have accessed Canvass and there is also a phone app which students can use, Frost said.

This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 3:32 PM with the headline "Lack of cases delays delivery of computers to high school students in Rock Hill."