Audit: NYC School Computers Going Unused Or Missing

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - More than 2,000 computers and tablets are missing or unused at New York City schools, according to a new audit by the city comptroller.

The audit by city Comptroller Scott Stringer found the Department of Education didn't know where 1,800 laptop and desk computers it had purchased for 10 locations were. It found nearly 400 other devices were never unpacked.

Stringer says the audit represents a sample of sites and is concerned it's 'just the tip of the iceberg.'

'Parents expect their kids to be ready for 21st century and they want technology for their children,' he said.

He says in a time period from 2011 to 2013, he also found boxes of unpacked tablets at three locations and more than 600 missing computers from doe headquarters.

'Perhaps there's an inventory control problem at the Department of Education,' he said. 'We must account for every tablet computer in the whole school system.'

Stringer wants the Department of Education to make a centralized inventory system, keeping track of all purchases and the computers locations. He also wants every missing computer found.

'All we've asked is to see the computers,' he said. 'Just show us the computers.'

Deputy Schools Chancellor Kathleen Grimm told the Wall Street Journal the audit ignored some information provided by her staff.

She said sometimes equipment isn't put to immediate use because of insufficient Wi-Fi bandwidth and the need to train staff to use it.

The DOE said it will use the audit's recommendations and issued a statement saying, 'We are committed to providing our city's school children technological resources that enables them to thrive in the classroom and identifying ways to catalog all equipment to ensure we are using all available resources to serve our students.'

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