Laptops are pretty useful for writing essays and doing research. It's also good to get some computer experience in, because the younger generation is growing up only knowing smartphones and doing as terrible a job in environments where they need to use computers (offices and such) as the retiring baby boomers are. Saving files using a mouse, and printing documents isn't something you know from birth, and we owe it to our children to teach them some basic computer experience.

I can't fathom while you'd use anyone's personal device to take tests, though. What could possibly be taught to a 12 year old that couldn't be tested in the form of a written exam? It's always the tyrannical anti cheat software that turns any good idea into a terrible experience.