Technology

TPS Students to Keep Laptops Over the Summer and Beyond

Student returning to Tacoma Public Schools in the fall will keep their district-issued laptops over the summer. Seniors and students transferring out of TPS will need to return their laptop to their school. Details on the process will be available closer to the end of the school year.

By the end of 2020, every TPS student received a laptop. Keeping the devices over the summer will allow students to stay engaged with their learning if they choose; they’ll have access to the same digital tools as during the school year, including Office 365, Teams and any apps they used for classroom work. No features will be turned off during the summer.  

Students moving to a new school within the district in the fall will keep the same laptop they have now. The life of TPS laptops is about four years; students will get a new laptop when theirs is four years old.

2021-2022 Student and Family Laptop Handbook
Summer support available
In the summer as in the school year, our technology team is committed to providing support to our students and families for all district-provided devices. We offer three ways to get help:

  • Log into SolarWinds by clicking the blue question mark icon on your district-issued device desktop. You can submit a request for assistance; review the status of your request; or chat live with a technician during normal district hours.
  • Email the Help Desk at studenthelp@tacoma.k12.wa.us.
  • Call the Help Desk at 253-571-HELP, (253) 571-4357.
  • Technicians are available during normal district hours. 

Get Help

The Tacoma technology help desk is committed to providing technical support to our students and families for all district-provided devices. We are unable to offer technical assistance with personal devices.

Three ways to get help: 

Online Self-Service Portal 

Student HELP icon, blue circle with question mark

Log into SolarWinds (Blue ? Icon on your district-issued device desktop) to: 

  • Submit a request for assistance 
  • Review the status of your current or previous requests 
  • Chat live with a technician (during normal district hours) 

Use the Solutions function to search for answers to common technology problems.

By Email:

studenthelp@tacoma.k12.wa.us

By Phone:

  • 253-571-HELP, (253) 571-4357
  • Technicians are available during normal district hours.  
  • After hours? Leave a voicemail message, or contact the HELP desk through SolarWinds.