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An unexpected additional cost in providing hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles students with free iPads: they might also need keyboards.
The L.A. Times reports that Los Angeles Unified School District school officials now realize they will likely have to buy wireless keyboards for all those iPads, which could run $38 million at current retail prices, if all 650,000 LAUSD students need one.
Of course, iPads have touch screens, but officials say that old-school keyboards are recommended for students taking new "Common Core" state standardized tests, the Times reports.
So far the district has committed to paying Apple $30 million to provide tablets at 47 schools, which will take until December 2014 to implement. The handouts began last week, with only two elementary schools receiving the iPads so far.
The iPad initiative will cost at least $500 million, all told, which includes installing wireless internet, according to the Times.
The project was funded by voter-approved school construction bonds.
Related:
LAUSD Gifting All Students With iPads For Tidy $30 Million (To Start)
