Paly administrators Principal Dr. Jacqueline McEvoy and Assistant Principal Chuck Merritt are requesting permission to provide laptop computers to all Paly teachers, according to a proposal they pitched at Monday’s Site Council meeting.

McEvoy and Merritt introduced the proposal for teacher laptops at the meeting and discussed the growing necessity to incorporate technology into all Paly classrooms. Site Council will vote on the issue at the next meeting on Feb. 11, according to Site Council Coordinator Edie Miller.

According to Merritt, only 75 percent of full-time teachers at Paly have their own laptops.

“We want to get [laptops] to all of them,” Merritt said. “Class sizes are getting tighter and tighter, and teachers have to share classrooms. And you can’t rely on having a desktop computer in your classroom.”

Four years ago, the Paly administration received two different accounts for funding based on their Academic Performance Index (API), which showed high performance. Between the two accounts, the administration estimated that $21,000 is left for further spending, and hopes to access these funds with the council’s permission.

“We have been aiming at this [full coverage] for three years,” Merritt said.

After Merritt requested teacher laptops from the school district, the district stated that the school should instead prioritize providing Paly students with laptops, believing that this would be more beneficial for students, according to Merritt. However, providing laptops for teachers would be equally beneficial, Merritt emphasized.

“Laptops for teachers are actually for the students,” Merritt said.

According to Merritt, the entire math department depends on personal computers to update online grade books. Other teachers use computers for uploading important handouts and other documents for students.

Council member and English teacher David Cohen agreed with Merritt, arguing that technology is gradually becoming an important part of running classes and is necessary for teachers to stay connected with their students.

“Technology is increasingly becoming a part of our life here,” Cohen said. “They should not be seen as extra commodities.”

Many teachers use InClass, a Web site that allows teachers to share documents and homework information with students, and upload grades online. Merritt would like to train all Paly teachers to use InClass in exchange for being provided with technological resources.

“Once the teachers are given laptops, they must agree to use InClass,” Merritt said. “There should be management to make sure that they actually use [InClass] in class.”

McEvoy estimated that the entire project would be fairly costly.

“For a school this size, we need at least $52,000 for the whole project, and more money to continue to upgrade [computers],” McEvoy said.

Site Council will vote to decide whether all Paly teachers will be provided with laptops when it reconvenes on Feb. 11.