Students and Families

Saint Paul Public Schools has one of the largest and longstanding 1:1 device initiatives in the midwest area, with nearly 40,000 iPads for students and staff and over 4,000 Macbooks for instructional staff.

When every student has a device in their hands, technology moves to the background and learning takes center stage. Teachers are able to customize and tailor their instruction for all students providing an equitable learning experience across classrooms and buildings.

84% of SPPS secondary students believe the way SPPS teachers use iPads help them learn better, and iPads are "useful" or "very useful" for homework, written assignments, research and other classroom activities.Spring 2025 Technology Survey Results

Quick Links

iPad Help Campus Portal SCHOOLOGY SECURLy HOME

Family Support Page

A 1:1 device program means:

Every student in the district has access to an iPad during the school day and carries it with them from class to class. Secondary students are able to take the iPad home after school to extend the learning experiences.

Putting devices in the hands of every student in Saint Paul Public Schools prepares the children of our community to be career and college ready as well as life-long learners. Benefits include:

creating personalized learning environments through individual devices assigned to students.
empowering students to find their voice and share it.
fostering collaboration among students.
encouraging critical thinking skills.
providing greater online security, as devices can be set up for individual use only.
increasing opportunities to teach digital citizenship and online stewardship.
allowing all students to have 24/7 access to instructional content.
facilitating increased communication with teachers.

Equipment Details:

Elementary Students receive an iPad and keyboard case each fall. In most cases, iPads stay in classroom charging carts at night unless there is a specific project or weather related need.
Secondary Students receive an iPad and keyboard case and take it home each night and over the summer.
Saint Paul Public Schools uses educational, restorative and preventative practices when responding to iPad misuse. Building Administrators may adjust access to student technology access in coordination with behavior intervention practices.
Families have the option to decline devices being sent home at any time.

Loss, Damaged and Stolen Devices

iPAD HANDBOOK OVERVIEW

The iPad Handbook states that when a student’s iPad is lost, stolen, or willfully damaged, the consequences include loss of the privilege to take an iPad home and additional instruction in appropriate iPad use. These consequences will be applied in cases of:

Broken screens caused by intentionally throwing or dropping the device;
Swinging a bag or backpack with a device inside; stepping on the device;
Intentionally spilling a liquid on the device; hitting another person or object with the device;
Damage caused to a device that was not in the district-issued case;
Tampering with the internal components of the iPad;
Making unauthorized modifications to the operating system, known as hacking the device;
Loss or damage to the Lightning-to-USB cable, 12W power adapter, and case.

FEES/FINES NOT PERMITTED

Minnesota State Statute sections 123B.34 to 123B.39 regulate the fees public schools may charge students and families. Based on the SPPS District Legal Department’s interpretation of these sections, sites may request, not require, families to pay for damaged or missing accessories or iPads. Any funds collected are processed by the school clerk as a gift and deposited in the school’s general account. At this time, there are no fines for missing or damaged iPads. These guidelines follow MN state statutes on the collection of fines and fees.

No fines can be required. Families may be requested to contribute to replacement costs listed below

Charger, $15
Cord, $15
Logitech Keyboard, $50
Full Logitech case, $99
STM case $35

No fines can be required for an iPad due to leasing agreements from Apple and MN state statutes.

END OF SCHOOL YEAR NON-RETURNS

As a consequence for failure to return iPads and accessories, schools cannot deny access to diplomas or course credit. They may limit participation in end of year activities such as:

School picnic
Field trip celebration

PROMOTING POSITIVE BEHAVIOR & STEWARDSHIP WITH AN iPAD

Schools have promoted and encouraged proper iPad care and stewardship through the following options and strategies. Please use the options below as a guide and inspiration as you customize solutions that will meet the needs of the students in your building.

Actively involve building principals, administration and PBIS teams when addressing lost/damaged/missing devices.
Create or modify a PBIS strategy the student must complete to regain privileges.
Limit or restrict iPad take - home permission.
Create “Check Out” policies in the Media Center or similar location to limit unsupervised access to devices.
Enable Restrictions or other management features.
Completion of “Common Sense Media” or other online modules promoting positive behavior and ethical use of digital devices.

SECURITY POLICIES FOR LOST / STOLEN / DAMAGED DEVICES

When an iPad has been recorded as “Lost” or “Stolen” a secure management profile is installed rendering the iPad as useless for resale or personal use.
After an SPPS iPad has been “wiped”, the screen will display “Hello” and look like it is able to be sold or kept for personal use.
During the setup process, the SPPS management profile will be activated and ask for Active Directory credentials. iPad setup cannot continue unless active and valid credentials are provided.
If the iPad has been recorded as lost/stolen/damaged in Fuji/Destiny and valid Active Directory credentials are provided, the iPad will go into “Lost” mode and be rendered useless.
iPads are not able to be sold or repurposed for personal use.

Student iPad Security and Privacy

All student and staff iPads are pre-configured with functionality customized for education. Saint Paul Public Schools actively works with several security vendors to create and update security policies. Most relevant to this conversation is the “JAMF” mobile device (iPad & Macbook) management system. JAMF is a Minnesota - based company, one of the leading companies nationwide and worldwide managing Apple devices. Some of the features our JAMF management system controls on student iPads include:

Internet Filtering:

Student iPads have pre-installed internet filtering. Adult content is blocked from student access, as well as social media site such as Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok. While no content filter is 100% foolproof, our Technology Services team is responsive in continually adjusting filters to keep students safe and protected.

App Store / FaceTime / iMessage:

Although SPPS uses Apple iPads, many apps and tools are not relevant or desirable for the classroom (either physical or virtual!). Pre-installed device management features block apps such as the Apple App Store, FaceTime, iMessage and other tools. Students cannot add their own personal Email accounts, and throughout most of the school year students are unable to reset (erase) their own iPads due to the difficulty of setting the device up again and/or circumnavigating the security management features.

Self Service App Store:

Students and staff have access to a special ‘app store’ on the iPads with over 400 apps that have been reviewed for content, data privacy and security guidelines. More information about the App Approval process and Security Review can be found at: spps.org/apps

Student Privacy, Tracking and Location

External “LMS” companies, including Seesaw, Schoology and others sign contracts and data sharing agreements with Saint Paul Public Schools. Student Data privacy is of the utmost importance to all. Student data is NOT tracked by these companies after our students leave or move to the next system. Often, these companies are unable to see into our systems because of the security and privacy policies set by both sides, intentionally. Students and staff authenticate into these systems with their school username and password. When SPPS deactivates or changes that account password, the student account in Seesaw or Schoology is inaccessible.

Camera and microphone use on the iPad is controlled on an app-by-app basis by the student. When opening an app for the first time, the iPad will prompt students to ‘allow’ access to the microphone and camera. This pop up can be confusing for many students (and staff). It does not mean the app is listening or watching the student from that point onwards. Students must always tap ‘record’ for the microphone or camera to begin recording. If students disabled the camera access by default, they would need to go to the Settings app and enable access every time the app was opened. They would still have to tap ‘record’ once in the app.

Student location tracking is not allowed for third party apps. Location tracking of the device is reserved for security and lost device procedures by a core group of Technology Services staff. General staff do not have ability to view device location. Student location tracking is one of the items prohibited by the SPPS apps review process and in accordance with Federal education guidelines.