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If your school Chromebook has become damaged, don’t panic! There are a few options available to you that will help you figure out what to do. First, we recommend taking the problem Chromebook to your teacher or IT department and asking them for advice. They may be able to repair it or replace it with a new one (depending on the severity of the damage). If neither of those solutions works, there is another option: buying an inexpensive laptop from Walmart. We have created this blog post as an overview of these three options so that students can take their time in deciding which one works best for them!
Quick guide table
First incident
| Reason | Fee | Admin Action |
|---|---|---|
| Accidental | Possibility of no charge. However, could be a small fee | Warning about proper care for devices |
| Intentional | Fee can be as high as value of the Chromebook | Parent meeting might be required |
| Lost/Theft | Fee can be as high as the Chromebook | Police report must be filed |
Second incident
| Reason | Fee | Admin Action |
|---|---|---|
| Accidental | Possibility of higher fee | Warning sent to parents |
| Intentional | Full cost replacement | Parent/Administration meeting |
| Lost/Theft | Full cost replacement | Police report must be filed & parent/administration meeting |
So what happens if you break/lose your school Chromebook?
The first thing you should do is check to see if your device is still working properly. If not, your child’s teacher is the first person you should contact. He or she may be able to help because teachers are usually given instructions on how to help their students if something happens to their devices. Ultimately, if the teacher is unsure or unable to help solve the issue, contact the school’s IT department. However, we’ve found a few more ways that can benefit you in saving you as much grief in the situation as possible.
In many cases, the damages on a Chromebook are sometimes repairable. IT sourcing for schools tends to purchase and lend equipment that’s easily fixable. This is also one of the reasons why Chromebooks are such a popular choice among education bodies, as they are one of the most cost-effective laptops you can buy.
Whether you or your learner accidentally dropped the Chromebook and cracked the screen or spilled apple juice all over your keyboard, I’ve come up with the best instructions on how to go about this.
In the case that if you lose your Chromebook, the first thing you need to do is contact IT to tell them that you’ve lost it. IT may know of a way to track down where the Chromebook is. Google also has a neat way to track your lost or stolen Chromebook by simply tracking its location.
However, the most important thing about this is making sure your child’s personal information is safe. IT will be able to lock out your child’s Chromebook so that it isn’t easily accessed by the thief.
What you should do with your broken Chromebook
It’s recommended by almost all schools to first contact the teacher of the student to see what can be done. Teachers are well instructed on how to handle the situation of a broken Chromebook.
Some teachers will also ask to see it and maybe try to fix it themselves. This isn’t likely but it can happen. In all other cases, if the teacher can’t help you replace your Chromebook, it’s probably going to escalate to the IT department. And trust me, you’re not the first person to break the screen, pour orange juice all over the keyboard, or even get a virus on your device.
Bringing your Chromebook to the proper people may actually help you solve the problem if it’s simply something internal due to software.
What the school will do
The school has a Chromebook insurance plan that provides coverage for accidental damage. If the device is broken, many schools will replace it with a new one. Your school will handle repairs and replacements.
Schools often invest heavily in warranties for damaged electronics. When dealing with students, the risks are even bigger. Schools want their students to be safe and successful, but they especially want them to be well-equipped with the tools they need for their education.
My advice is to not worry about the broken Chromebook. In the end, the school will likely replace it with a new one.
Schools are used to these sorts of situations and they will know how to take care of the device.
Also, in many cases, if there’s a fee tacked onto your student’s account, you might have to pay that fee off before the school will allow you another device.
You may have to pay a fee
Because almost all schools that loan their devices out to students have a warranty plan for every device, there’s a strong possibility that you will be charged the repair or replacement fee.
This isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg, though. Most schools will charge a $50-$100 fee to replace it with a new device. Even if your child is charged this cost, the replacement cost is much less than what you’d have to pay if you bought a Chromebook on your own or in-store.
In fact, many schools are lenient to their learner if this is the first time it’s happened. They may not even charge the parent or child for the broken device.
At the end of the day, if your child breaks the Chromebook, don’t be too concerned. As long as the teacher or IT department is willing to help you with getting a new or repaired Chromebook, you’ll have one soon enough!
What not to do when you break your Chromebook
The great thing about Chromebooks is that they are relatively affordable devices. So even if they break, you shouldn’t worry too much.
If your Chromebook becomes cracked or broken, here are a few things you should not do with it:
Do not throw your Chromebook in the trash
These Chromebooks are almost always under warranty. Remember, the school pays for a warranty. So don’t just throw them away.
Don’t take your Chromebook to a third-party vendor to get it repaired
Remember, I’m almost positive that your school has a warranty and replacement plan agreement with the manufacturer. Bringing it to a repair shop is honestly a waste of time and money.
Do not try to take it apart and try to fix it yourself
Warranties often have included fine print that doesn’t allow non-authorized people to open the Chromebook and make changes to the hardware. If you do try to take it apart, this may void your warranty.
My final thoughts
If you are worried about the extra cost, just be honest about it. Most schools have a great track record for understanding that students are in an educational environment, and they don’t want to make it difficult for you or them.
If you try to hide things from the school, whether that’s your grades or your broken Chromebook, they’ll find out. And all of a sudden the problem may get worse and damage your child’s future at your school.
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