A couple of Tennessee school districts now allow students to bring technology to class. Tonight, we look at budget conscious options, with age appropriate features in mind. Ryan Mayfield wants a computer for school. The Grassland Middle Schooler's parents  are price and age conscious.

"We wand to make sure we have something for him that will work for him for a few years," says Franklin parent Brent Mayfield.

Parents are the ones stuck in the learning curve.

"They didn't use them in school," says Best Buy Computer Supervisor Corbin McGrath. "They still don't use them much now beyond work email and internet and the tough thing for them is trying to figure out what their kid needs."

Let's start with age: If you have an elementary schooler, a netbook, which is like a mini laptop, is an inexpensive, sensible option.

"It gives them something they're already familiar with," says McGrath. "They get a physical keyboard, regular screen, regular mouse. It can run all the application the school wants them to use."

They start at $199. The down side? It may not grow with your child. That's where the tablet comes in.

"I was mainly interested in an Ipad and then I saw some other tablets I was interested in," says student Ryan Mayfield. "So, that's cool."

The price range starts at $250, and goes all the way up to $830. The more affordable options meet student's computing needs as well, the better known Ipad. If you are going for the Ipad, don't overpay for processing power for a student. 64GB and 3G connectivity may be necessary for your line of work, but not for a 5th grader. A tablet will do everything a regular laptop does, with the exception of video editing and heavy gaming. When your son or daughter hits the teen years, it's probably time for a mid-level laptop at $500-$600. Finally, the question becomes: When to buy? Think of buying computers like a car. Consumer reports say, like cars, the end of the year is when the new models come out, so the "not so old" model has to go. You'll also find great sales on laptops during the post holiday lull, say between January-March. Don't forget to comparison shop, and especially to ask your child to pay a portion. Having them earn and save up their own money for the technology will create a sense of ownership, and a desire to take good care of it.
SAVING YOU MONEY: Kids and Computers