The rocky launch of an iPad initiative in a California school district has led some to question whether the benefits of the devices are worth the cost. At issue is the decision to pay $4.3 million for 6,300 iPads for seventh-grade students, plus the cost of iPad covers and related software. While teachers and other supporters say they are enthusiastic about the potential benefits of iPads in the classroom, the district is not tracking whether students' grades have risen since the technology was introduced.