Ordering Apple Devices (iPads, MacBooks, etc...)
We generally advise against ordering Apple devices such as iPad, MacBooks, iMacs, etc outside of a few specialized circumstances. We do recognize that these devices do have valid use cases in our schools. Below we list some considerations to make before ordering an Apple Device and how to go about ordering those devices. We can better assist our staff and students when we standardize use of technology and proper planning and consideration goes into purchasing new technology. We are often able to better and more quickly assist our staff and students with Windows devices and Chromebooks when compared to iPads and MacBooks.
The most common and successful use of iPads that we see are in the following situations:
- The youngest grade levels Pre-K through Kindergarten
- Special Education
- Specialized assessments/testing that require an iOS App.
Considerations before purchasing
Can this be accomplished on another device?
If what you're wanting to do can be accomplished on a Windows device or Chromebook, we would highly recommend considering one of those devices instead of an iPad or Mac. Your district may already have one of those devices available. If not, purchasing a new Windows device or Chromebook usually makes more sense when it comes to ability to support.
Do you have a plan for how the device will be used?
Before moving forward in purchasing one of the above devices, assess how the device is to be used. It may be best to put in a Service Request with the technology department to assess the situation and make sure this is a good fit. Questions to consider:
-
Who will be using the device?
Examples: Staff vs Students. Shared vs 1:1 deployment. Kindergarten, Special Education, high school art class, an office kiosk used by parents, etc...
-
What is being done on the device?
Examples: Are you using specialized learning apps for younger students? Is it being used to help a special education student with a special need? Does a teacher want one just because they've enjoyed using them for personal use in the past?
-
What Applications are needed on the device? What are the application requirements?
Example: Is there a Mac or iOS compatible version of the application that you plan on using?
Requirements
- iPads and MacBooks must be purchased directly from Apple on the school district's Apple Education account.
- Not ordering a device directly from Apple will greatly delay the setup process and make it more difficult to support overall.
- A Mobile Device Management license must be purchased for each Apple device that is purchased. This is a yearly re-occurring cost.
- For most school sites we use or recommend use of Mosyle Manager.
- This will be a separate quote/purchase than your purchase of the device from Apple.
Accessories
Consider other accessories that may need to be purchased: a matching case, keyboard attachment, Apple Pen, charging blocks, etc...
What to avoid
- Avoid purchasing these devices from anywhere other than your Apple Education account: Best Buy, Walmart, a Black Friday Special, etc...
- Avoid donated Apple devices - It's a nice gesture, but it's a lot more work to manage them.
- Avoid giving a staff member a device directly to use without first being setup by IT.
- Avoid staff members purchasing school apps directly on a personal Apple ID
Purchasing Apps
Ensure App purchase request go through IT so the school can retain ownership of apps that can be assigned to a device and be re-assigned as necessary.
Offboarding
When staff use an iPad, if tied with a personal Apple ID, please ensure the staff member wipes the device, removes their personal Apple ID from the device, and turns off "Find my Device". If this is not done, the device may be unusable for any future needs.
How to purchase an Apple device
If after considering the above and consulting with the technology department, it's been decided that an Apple device is the best tool to the job, you may proceed!
The department or persons responsible for purchasing at your school district should be able to take it from here. Please see this document, or the attached document at the bottom of this article for how to setup and purchase a device from Apple. If you have any questions about what device to purchase, please submit a service request with your question.
In most cases, the basic iPad model is suitable for most situations.
Once the devices arrive, please deliver the devices promptly to the tech department and submit a service request to setup a new device, allowing some time to setup and deliver the devices to the end users. Please give us complete information about who is using the device, what applications are needed, etc...
Update from Apple (Updated 10/31/2022)
Apple Education is working hard to make it simpler and easier for you to order the products you need for your students, educators, and staff. We’ve created a simple digital process for ordering — which many of you are already using — and which we continue to improve based on your feedback.
As of January 1, 2023, we’ll be transitioning institutional order processing exclusively to this online tool. Doing this will allow us to serve you even better, and will also allow you to shop, buy, and track your orders all in one place.
Step 1 (if you don’t have an account):
View this quick registration tutorial ›
Step 2:
Sign in to your institution store ›
To learn more, contact your Apple Education sales representative or call 800-800-2775 and select option 4 to get connected.