Windows 11 and the Device Refresh Opportunity

How students learn has fundamentally changed over the past two years. With this shift, Microsoft has reimagined its Windows operating system and Windows devices to support this new era of digital learning. Now, with the launch of Windows 11 for Education, you have the perfect opportunity to help education customers modernize their technology environments. And you can deliver affordable Windows devices that are built for hybrid learning and are inclusive, effective, and highly secure.

At the same time, your education customers also need help navigating funding sources to support their digital transformations. For example, the Federal Communications Commission has made available a new $7.17 billion dollar Emergency Connectivity Fund to help schools enable remote learning. While the time to sign up has passed, schools that have enrolled need to choose which technologies, including devices, they want to implement. As a result, you can play a role in helping customers use their funds wisely and invest in the powerful Microsoft Education tools they need.

As you help customers consider their options, we’re here to help you. You’ll find resources below to help you discover more about Windows 11 for Education solutions along with Microsoft 365. And you can learn more about how to help education customers deploy, manage, and upgrade their devices.

For starters, here are the top five things you need to know—along with additional resources—to help prepare schools to take advantage of Windows 11 for Education.

1. See what’s new in Windows 11 for schools

While many Microsoft Education solutions work on any device, the best experiences come together on a Windows PC. And with Windows 11 for Education, you can offer customers the most significant product update in years.

Windows 11 brings together new productivity and inclusivity features that support hybrid learning along with built-in anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-phishing protection to make it the most secure Windows ever built. It provides a simpler, more intuitive learning experience—with pre-configured snap layouts that adapt to different screen sizes—to help students learn wherever they are, with less stress. And it offers a redesigned and refreshed look along with built-in security at the hardware level—on affordable Windows 11 devices.

2. What about Windows 11 SE?

For education customers that require a simpler, more affordable, and controlled device for cloud-driven scenarios, Windows SE fits the bill.

Built with feedback from teachers, Windows SE helps schools offer a simplified experience and distraction-free environment for students. Devices are secure, easy to deploy and manage, and perform well all day across the changing conditions of a school year. With Windows SE, administrators can curate apps and help students focus on learning. In addition, these devices provide cloud-first storage and better battery life optimized for the most used education experiences, for both online and offline learning.

3. Discover the full value of Windows 11 devices

Windows 11 for Education not only offers affordable devices to help schools provide equal access to technology for every student. Windows 11 also helps students learn in the way that is right for them, whether online or offline. Accessible, inclusive features are built-in at no extra cost so that students have the tools they need to reach their full potential.

Windows 11 enables administrators and IT teams to easily manage the technology environment and provide the security needed to keep students, devices, and data safe. With its zero-touch deployment and simplified device management via Intune, Windows 11 makes it easy to secure devices and schedule updates in the background.

Still looking for more value-adds? Then consider how Windows 11:

• Offers multi-touch and inking features in various 2-in-1 devices to support engagement, add variety, and empower collaboration.
• Provides an array of rugged devices built to withstand bumps, drops, and spills, resulting in lower repair and replacement costs.
• Delivers all-day battery life so devices work when and where they are needed.
• Builds on a Windows 10 foundation with familiar tools, cloud management, and app compatibility to provide a consistent experience.

4. Prepare to transition customers’ environments to Windows 11

Are you ready to get your pilots started? Windows 11 is an upgrade that feels like an update—and it is easy to deploy and manage. Because it is built on the Windows 10 foundation, most applications will continue to work with Windows 11. As a result, your customers will still use familiar tools while their cloud management and applications provide a consistent experience.

We recommend using PC Health Check to see if your customers’ PC’s are eligible for an upgrade to Windows 11. You can also check on the compatibility of applications they currently use.

5. Make deployment and management easier with Microsoft 365 A3 & A5

You can help education customers transition from existing Windows and deploy new Windows 11 devices with Microsoft 365. For customers with Microsoft 365 licenses that include Windows licenses, Windows 11 will be available as an update for supported devices. In addition, with Intune for Education, IT can deploy and manage all Windows 11 devices from anywhere through its simple and secure cloud management solution. Since devices are managed from the cloud, they are always up-to-date, and IT can deliver the right apps and policies securely across student devices. And to help ensure devices and students stay secure, only IT admins can download and install apps and services directly to the device.

Ready to get started?

Here at SYNNEX, we enable entire education solutions. We are experts at deploying new devices for schools and can show you the best path forward for your customers.