Beginning in the fall, Catasauqua High School students will carry a lighter load of textbooks to class.

The Catasauqua Area School Board, after months of debate and discussion, voted 5-4 Tuesday to move forward with leasing nearly 581 11-inch MacBook laptops for distribution to every high school student. The cost of the project for four years is $155,563.52. Roll out for the new program will begin in early fall.

Voting in opposition to the plan were board members Dawn Berrigan, Carol McCarthy, Christine Nace and Christine Naegel.

District Superintendent Robert Spengler, a staunch proponent of the new technology program, said the use of laptops will eliminate the need for physical textbooks and allow students to work on assignments from virtually any location at any time.

Director of Curriculum and Assessment Christina Lutz-Doemling said the proposal ensures equal access to education and places the district at the forefront of teaching.

"It will transform classroom teaching," she said. "We really feel like the timing is right."

While the school board passed the proposal, Berrigan, McCarthy, Nace and Naegel questioned the efficiency of the roll out and insurance costs for the devices.

Coordinator of Instructional Technology Kathy Kotran said roll out of the program will take place 6 p.m. Aug. 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12,13 and 14 in the high school auditorium and will consist of a class on proper handling of the MacBook, signing out the device, obtaining insurance and warranty information.

A $50 fee will be assessed per student for insurance, with a $100 deductible for damage and a $250 deductible for theft or total loss. Insurance permits the student to take the device home.

Wayne Karess, district network manager, said families unable to pay the $50 fee will be afforded a payment plan. Laptops will be provided for use in school for those students who do not agree to pay the insurance charge.

"We believe the cost we have indicated will allow us to do self insurance," Karess said.

Area school districts such as Salisbury have transitioned to this one-to-one technology in their classrooms successfully.

Karess said Salisbury is an authorized Apple repair shop and will assist Catasauqua with repairing inoperable laptops.

McCarthy said there are too many unanswered and unaddressed variables.

"I don't see a safety net and contingency plan," she said. "I would like to see us better plan."

She suggested teachers first use the technology so the board can assess how successful the technology is in the classroom.

Duane Deitrich supported the laptop program.

"If you have a tool at your disposal, you're more apt to bring it into learning," he said.

Naegel said the board has to be cognizant of the number of students who qualify for subsidized lunch and the prospect of raising taxes.

"Talk about equal access," she said. "We have to consider the people living here in Catty."

Berrigan argued many parents prefer to introduce their child to new advances in technology rather than rely on the school district.

"I think we really need to step back and look at the district as a whole," she said.

District K-12 Gifted Support Acceleration Coordinator Dawn Fisher spoke in favor of the program.

"I think every initiative has its challenges," she said. "This would mean every student has the same capability."

The board will meet 7 p.m. Monday in the district administration office board room. During the meeting, the board will discuss the 2014-15 budget.