Over the past two years, Cranford Public Schools has prioritized ensuring that students have access to technology. But this constant, reliable access has caused students to be lazy about their own technology. No matter what school you came from, it is guaranteed that you have a Chromebook on the first day of freshman year. Cranford High School, and more specifically the library, has lent out 3,500 Chromebooks over the last two years. When you break that number down, it becomes even more eye-opening. Over roughly 730 days, that is about 4.8 Chromebooks per day. On a weekly scale, that is around 34 devices per week. Monthly, it averages to about 146 Chromebooks per month. Those are not small numbers. That is steady and consistent demand for Chromebooks that the students already had and were irresponsible with.
Whether they break them or they forget to charge them, it doesn’t change the fact that there are simply not enough devices to go around. Now, I am not saying the lending program is a bad thing. In fact, it shows how committed Cranford is to keeping students connected and prepared. But 3,500 loans in two years also tells another story. Too many students are coming to school without their devices charged, or without them at all, and this needs to change. Chromebooks today are like textbooks were years ago. They are used for classwork, research, assessments, and communication with teachers. When a student shows up without one, learning slows down: teachers have to adjust, students lose valuable time, and the district has to rely on loaners nearly five times every single day. The responsibility part is not complicated. Charging a Chromebook overnight takes seconds. Making sure it is in a backpack before leaving for school takes even less time. These are small habits, but they matter.
Cranford High School can provide the tools, but students have to be ready to use them. Cranford has done its job by providing access to 3,500 devices over two years. Now it is on students to do theirs. Bringing a Chromebook charged and ready is not just about following a rule. It is about being prepared, respecting shared resources, and taking ownership of your education.
