Insurance not an Easy Sell for Laptop Computers in South Dakota Schools

Fewer than a quarter of the parents of children in the Sioux Falls, S.D., school district who have received laptop computers have bought insurance, though officials say a change in the policy might prompt more to sign up.

The insurance policy is $40 per year and covers all accidental damage to the Chromebook devices. The policy initially required the parent to pay the first $75 each time a repair is needed.

The Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports that the policy was changed last week to make the parent pickup up only 50 percent of the each repair up to $75, with the rest covered by the insurance plan.

The district has handed out about 10,000 Chromebooks to high schools, middle schools and some elementary schools so far this year.