Following parental resistance to a new $40 chromebook technology fee, Bensalem Township School District issued clarifications on why families need to pay and what that money is used for.
The new Chromebook fee — assessed to all students in grades 3 to 12 — costs families $40 per student, capped at $80 a family regardless of the number of students, and covers the first damage, repair or replacement.
Parent pushback
On Sept. 1, an anonymous user in a Bensalem School District parents Facebook group posted about the new Chromebook fee, asking why parents are now being charged for school mandated laptops.
What followed was over 130 comments from parents in the district, with many arguing against the Chromebook charge, or paying for a used laptop altogether.
“Give me the option to buy my kids their own Chromebook that they can take to and from school,” Joshua Rigle said. “I’m not paying for a used Chromebook every year.”
Other commenters explained that surrounding schools have similar fees. Families of Bristol Township School District students are charged $35 per student, capped at $70 per household.
Shaina Achuff has two children at Valley Elementary School and was one of the parents who participated in the Facebook Chromebook conversation.
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After receiving an email noting the yearly technology fee, Achuff reached out to the district for clarification. She was not aware that she had to pay the $40 charge for her daughter’s laptop.
In response, Karen Winters — a member of Bensalem’s school board — explained the board had discussed this fee during “multiple public board meetings” ahead of the June 30 budget deadline. However, Achuff still felt the district did not do enough to communicate this new cost to families.
“It’s almost like they were trying to hide it and sneak it in,” Achuff said. “I don’t like people trying to do that to me.”
Clarifications from the district
Over a week after the initial Facebook post, the Bensalem school board of directors sent a letter to families in the district on Sept. 11 to offer an explanation for the $40 fee.
“We recognize that fees represent an additional expense for families, and that concern was an important part of the Board’s consideration,” the board said. “The district remains committed to ensuring that financial circumstances do not prevent students from accessing the technology they need for school.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Bensalem had charged families a $25 annual technology fee to offset Chromebook costs. However, throughout and following coronavirus school closures, the district said they used COVID relief funding to cover this fee.
“It’s almost like they were trying to hide it and sneak it in. I don’t like people trying to do that to me.” – Shaina Achuff, Bensalem School District Parent
This year — in the 2026-27 budget cycle — the board said they faced increased financial pressure, due to the increased cost of the laptops and the “continued volatility in the cost of imported technology, electronic components, metals, and other materials.”
With the current financial situation and increased costs of technology, the board decided it was no longer feasible to absorb Chromebook associated costs. These fees, according to the district, are also not intended to generate revenue, just to offset costs of maintenance and repairs to student technology.
“This was not a decision made lightly. The district held off on implementing an annual technology fee for a significant period of time,” the board said.
What comes next?
Individual schools will contact families when their Chromebook payment is due, according to the district. Those experiencing financial hardship are asked to complete Bensalem’s income survey to help identify those in need of assistance.
Although the district has clarified their reasoning and detailed what the Chromebook fee will be used for, some Bensalem officials are still expecting more questions from the community.
“While I cannot speak for the Board as a whole, I anticipate that the concerns that have been raised will be discussed at an upcoming public Board meeting,” Winters said in an email shared with the Bucks County Beacon.
Any community members with more questions or concerns about the technology can have their voices heard at the next Bensalem Township school board meeting on Sept. 23.
