Memphis Schools Propose 25,000 Laptop Purchase

The $22 million plan would replace aging devices and give high schoolers take-home access.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Secondary Education

Memphis Schools Propose 25,000 Laptop Purchase

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Memphis-Shelby County Schools leaders proposed buying 25,000 laptops for high schoolers at a Tuesday board work session. The board is expected to vote on the $22 million purchase at a business meeting next week.

Why it matters

The district ended its COVID-era one-laptop-per-student policy partly to be more intentional with digital resources amid nationwide efforts to dial back classroom technology. Many pandemic-era laptops are now aging out or broken, leaving the district with a device replacement need.

The district has nearly 260,000 devices, and 175,000 are aged out or expected to age out within two years, roughly two-thirds of its inventory. The $22 million purchase includes 1,500 teacher laptops and an Apple warranty covering two accidental breaks per year on each device, though the funding source was not stated.

The players

Memphis-Shelby County Schools

The public school district serving Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee, whose leaders proposed the laptop purchase and whose board will vote on it.

The details

Under the new take-home model, high schoolers enrolled in college courses or asynchronous classes could temporarily check out a device from school laptop carts. Each high school will appoint or hire a staff member to manage laptop inventory and check for missing or broken devices, and Apple support staff will help with the rollout.

August 2026: The district ended the one-laptop-per-student policy before the first day of classes.
Early September 2026: Chalkbeat Tennessee reported the policy change hindered testing and lesson plans at White Station High School.
November 10, 2026: Leaders proposed the 25,000-laptop purchase at a Tuesday board work session.
Next week: The board is scheduled to vote on the $22 million purchase at a business meeting.
February 2027: High schools are expected to receive the new devices, before standardized testing ramps up.

Season Trajectory

The district's move away from universal pandemic-era laptop assignments follows a broader nationwide effort to dial back classroom technology. Memphis is now replacing aging devices while limiting assignments to a shared, checkout-based model.

High school students in Memphis could eventually check out a laptop from school carts if they are enrolled in college courses or asynchronous classes. Families should expect a school-managed inventory system that tracks missing or broken devices.

The takeaway

Districts replacing pandemic-era devices now face a choice between universal assignment and shared checkout, and Memphis is choosing the latter. Parents of high schoolers may want to ask how device check-out and repair will work at their child's school.

What happens next

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools board is scheduled to vote on the $22 million laptop purchase at a business meeting next week. High schools are expected to receive the new devices by February 2027.