Dive Summary:

• Reflecting the realities of tight budgets and the race to adopt 21st century learning methods, districts with strict cell phone and laptop policies are beginning to rethink the gadgets students bring with them to school.
• According to Newington Public Schools Superintendent William Collins, who unveiled a new technology plan at graduation in 2011, the results of students bringing their cell phones, laptops and tablets to class have been "very productive."
• In Connecticut, some districts adopting "bring your own" plans provide disadvantaged students with a device to use in class while other districts don't, prompting critics to cite the need for resources that make up for such a shortfall.

From the article:

Monday, August 27, 2012 Not so long ago, most school districts had very strict policies: Leave your cellphones and laptops at home. The schools would provide any technology a student needed. Often, there wasn't much. But now with districts racing to adopt 21st century learning techniques while facing budget realities, educators are starting to rethink how they view the gadgets kids bring to school. "We go on the premise that if they can use it for the Web, you don't have to worry about which device they bring," said Christopher Troetti, principal at Bethel High School. ...