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Primary and secondary schools must have enough devices like laptops or tablets available by the end of 2026 to support their students’ learning. This is to meet the department’s mandatory device-to-student ratios under the Digital Strategy 2023 to 2026. Learn about the ratios and how the department supports schools to meet them.
The information on this page is not about the use of mobile phones and personal devices at school. Students must keep those off and away while at school. See mobile phones and personal devices at school for more information.
How many devices schools need to have – device-to-student ratios
Devices include student laptops and tablets used for learning purposes. The department sets requirements for how many devices must be available to students depending on the year level. All schools must meet these device-to-student ratios by the end of 2026. The ratios are:
- For primary year levels: 1 device for every 3 students (1:3 device-to-student ratio) – this is an average across all primary year levels of the school.
- For secondary year levels: 1 device per student (1:1 device-to-student ratio).
For more details refer to the department policies:
- primary student digital device policy (PDF 585 KB)
- secondary student digital device policy (PDF 567 KB)
Primary year levels: 1 device for every 3 students (on average)
Schools must have 1 device per 3 students in primary year levels by the end of 2026. The 1:3 ratio is an average across all primary year levels of the school. Some schools may already meet this ratio.
It’s up to each school to choose how they distribute devices across year levels. They may for example make more devices available to students in years 5 and 6 and fewer devices per student in reception to year 2. The average must be 1 device for every 3 students across reception to year 6.
Secondary year levels : 1 device per student
Schools must achieve a device ratio of 1 device per student in secondary year levels by the end of 2026. Some schools may already meet this ratio.
Schools will communicate with families what type of device children will need to support their learning and how devices will be made available.
Secondary students will generally take their device to school and home each day to support their learning.
School Device Program: access to devices and support for schools
Schools could opt into the department’s School Device Program for support with meeting device-to-student ratios.
In 2024 participating schools can:
- purchase devices from the department for primary year levels
- purchase devices from the department for years 7 and 10 students
- invoice families for devices where applicable, except families on School Card who are eligible for a free device.
From 2025 participating schools will be able to:
- purchase devices for all year levels
- access an online portal to purchase a selection of devices
- provide families access to an online portal to purchase devices directly where applicable.
Financial support through the School Device Program
The School Device Program provides participating schools access to devices as well as financial support.
The department covers:
- 50% of the budgeted cost of all devices for primary year levels to meet the 1:3 ratio, with schools paying the remaining 50% (schools may invoice families, where applicable, to recover some of the cost)
- 50% of the budgeted cost for devices for students on School Card in years 7 and 10, with schools paying the remaining 50% for those devices.
Free devices for eligible School Card families
Families on School Card whose child or children attend years 7 or 10 of a participating school in 2024 can receive a free device to support their studies.
The cost for the device is shared between the department and the school.
The School Device Program will be expanded to all secondary school students on School Card by 2026.
Schools participating in the School Device Program in 2024
The schools participating in 2024 are:
- Aberfoyle Park High School
- Adelaide East Education Centre
- Adelaide North Special School
- Adelaide Secondary School of English
- Adelaide West Special Education Centre
- Aldgate Primary School
- Aldinga Beach Primary School
- Allenby Gardens Primary School
- Allendale East Area School
- Ardrossan Area School
- Ascot Park Primary School
- Athelstone School
- Auburn Primary School
- Balaklava High School
- Balaklava Primary School
- Beachport Primary School
- Belair Primary School
- Berri Primary School
- Black Forest Primary School
- Blair Athol North B-6 School
- Blakeview Primary School
- Bordertown Primary School
- Braeview School
- Brahma Lodge Primary School
- Burnside Primary School
- Burton Primary School
- Callington Primary School
- Cambrai Primary School
- Ceduna Area School
- Central Yorke School
- Charles Campbell College
- Christies Beach Primary School
- Clapham Primary School
- Clare Primary School
- Cleve Area School
- Clovelly Park Primary School
- Colonel Light Gardens Primary School
- Compton Primary School
- Coorara Primary School
- Coromandel Valley Primary School
- Craigburn Primary School
- Craigmore South Primary School
- Craigmore High School
- Cummins Area School
- Darlington Primary School
- Dernancourt School
- East Para Primary School
- East Torrens Primary School
- Eden Hills Primary School
- Edwardstown Primary School
- Elizabeth Downs Primary School
- Elizabeth Grove Primary School
- Elizabeth North Primary School
- Elizabeth Park Primary School
- Elizabeth Vale Primary School
- Elliston Area School
- Enfield Primary School
- Errington Special Education Centre
- Evanston Gardens Primary School
- Fairview Park Primary School
- Forbes Primary School
- Fulham Gardens Primary School
- Gawler East Primary School
- Gladstone High School
- Glen Osmond Primary School
- Glenelg Primary School
- Golden Grove High School
- Goolwa Primary School
- Gordon Education Centre
- Grange Primary School
- Greenock Primary School
- Greenwith Primary School
- Hampstead Primary School
- Heathfield Primary School
- Hendon Primary School
- Henley Beach Primary School
- Hewett Primary School
- Highbury Primary School
- Hillcrest Primary School
- Hincks Avenue Primary School
- Jamestown Community School
- John Hartley School B-6
- John Pirie Secondary School
- Kadina Memorial School
- Kalangadoo Primary School
- Kangaroo Inn Area School
- Kapunda Primary School
- Kaurna Plains School
- Keller Road Primary School
- Keyneton Primary School
- Kidman Park Primary School
- Kilkenny Primary School
- Kingston Community School
- Kirton Point Primary School
- Klemzig Primary School
- Koolunga Primary School
- Koonibba Aboriginal School
- Lake Wangary School
- Light Pass Primary School
- Lincoln Gardens Primary School
- Lockleys Primary School
- Lonsdale Heights Primary School
- Loxton High School
- Loxton North School
- Madison Park School
- Magill School
- Manoora Primary School
- Marryatville Primary School
- McLaren Flat Primary School
- McLaren Vale Primary School
- Melaleuca Park Primary School
- Meningie Area School
- Mil Lel Primary School
- Minlaton District School
- Mitcham Primary School
- Moana Primary School
- Modbury Special School
- Modbury West School
- Monash Primary and Preschool
- Moonta Area School
- Morphett Vale East Primary School
- Morphett Vale Primary School
- Mount Compass Area School
- Mundulla Primary School
- Munno Para Primary School
- Murray Bridge Special School
- Nailsworth Primary School
- Napperby Primary School
- Naracoorte High School
- Naracoorte Primary School
- Naracoorte South Primary School
- Noarlunga Downs Primary School
- North Adelaide Primary School
- North Ingle School
- Northern Adelaide Senior College
- Northfield Primary School
- Old Noarlunga Primary School
- Orroroo Area School
- O'Sullivan Beach Primary School
- Para Hills School
- Para Hills West Primary School
- Para Vista Primary School
- Paracombe Primary and Preschool
- Paradise Primary School
- Parafield Gardens Primary School
- Parkside Primary School
- Peterborough Primary School
- Plympton Primary School
- Poonindie Community Learning Centre
- Port Augusta Secondary School
- Port Augusta West Primary School
- Port Broughton Area School
- Port Lincoln High School
- Port Lincoln Junior Primary School
- Port Lincoln Primary School
- Port Lincoln Special School
- Port Neill Primary School
- Port Wakefield Primary School
- Prospect North Primary School
- Prospect Primary School
- Quorn Area School
- Raukkan Aboriginal School
- Redwood Park Primary School
- Rendelsham Primary and Preschool
- Renmark North School
- Renmark Primary School
- Richmond Primary School
- Ridgehaven Primary School
- Risdon Park Primary School
- Riverbanks College B - 12
- Riverdale Primary School
- Riverland Special School
- Riverton and District High School
- Riverton Primary School
- Robe Primary School
- Rose Park Primary School
- Saddleworth Primary School
- Salisbury East High School
- Salisbury Heights Primary School
- Salisbury North Primary School
- Salisbury Primary School
- Seaford Rise Primary School
- Settlers Farm Campus R-6
- Sheidow Park Primary School
- Snowtown Primary School
- Solomontown Primary School
- South Port Primary School
- Spalding Primary School
- Springton Primary School
- St Agnes School P-6
- St Leonards Primary School
- Stradbroke School
- Streaky Bay Area School
- Surrey Downs Primary School
- Suttontown Primary School
- Swallowcliffe School P-6
- Tea Tree Gully Primary School
- The Heights School
- The Pines School
- Thorndon Park Primary School
- Trinity Gardens School
- Tumby Bay Area School
- Two Wells Primary School
- Unley Primary School
- Uraidla Primary School
- Vale Park Primary School
- Victor Harbor High School
- Virginia Primary School
- Wallaroo Primary School
- Wandana Primary School
- Warooka Primary School
- Warriappendi School
- Wasleys Primary School
- West Beach Primary School
- West Lakes Shore School
- Westport Primary School
- Whyalla Town Primary School
- Willunga Primary School
- Wilmington Primary School
- Wirreanda Secondary School
- Wynn Vale School
- Yankalilla Area School
- Yahl Primary School
- Yorketown Area School
