Kansas City Schools Replace 30,000 PCs With $599 MacBook Neo, Pressuring Googlebooks
Updated
Updated · Android Authority · May 21
Kansas City Schools Replace 30,000 PCs With $599 MacBook Neo, Pressuring Googlebooks
4 articles · Updated · Android Authority · May 21
Kansas City Public Schools is shifting to an all-Apple setup, replacing more than 30,000 Chromebooks and Windows PCs with MacBook Neo laptops over time.
More than 4,500 MacBook Neos have already been bought for students, while younger grades will keep using existing iPads and MacBook Airs.
Apple highlighted the district on its Q2 2026 earnings call as an example of schools moving away from Chromebooks toward the new MacBook Neo.
The switch raises pressure on Google's laptop strategy because Googlebooks are aimed at premium AI PCs, while Apple's MacBook Neo starts at $599 and still offers long-term support and tight ecosystem integration.
If other districts follow Kansas City, Google could face a broader erosion in education, where Chromebook adoption has long helped anchor younger users in its ecosystem.
As some schools reduce screen time, will putting a MacBook in every student's hands actually improve learning outcomes?
With education being the top cyberattack target, can this switch to Apple truly safeguard student data from increasing threats?
Is Kansas City's massive Apple investment a visionary leap for education or an expensive gamble on brand prestige?