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1,100 new laptops for all incoming 7th graders
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Posted on Jun 30 2011
All incoming seventh graders in public and private schools will get new laptops when classes start in September, according to Education Commissioner Rita A. Sablan and federal programs officer Tim Thornburgh.
Thornburgh told the Board of Education that the Public School System has already invited companies to bid on this project. Bidding closes on July 11, in time for the delivery in August.
Funding for the netbooks will be taken from the consolidated grant for the current school year.
According to Joseph Torres, PSS technology communication network coordinator, the netbooks will be the same type given out to students this school year—Latitude 2110 netbook from Dell Corp.
The One-Laptop-Per-Child project aims to give laptops to students from seventh to 12th grade in both private and public schools. It was funded this school year using a portion of the $34.2 million state fiscal stabilization fund from the American Recovery Reinvestment Act
Based on the PSS laptop policy, seniors will own the units after their graduation while seventh and eighth graders will carry their units to high school.
PSS gave away 6,174 netbooks last school year.
