With the goal of nurturing 21st century skills and level the playing field for all its students, Trimpe Middle School in Madison County, Illinois, is one of the latest districts to participate in Apples One-to-One Initiative.

"Today is exciting for all the students," Superintendent Sandra Wilson said as students returned to school — and their new computers — in late September. "It's cool to see these kids opening up laptops to learn."

To provide the MacBooks to all the seventh and eighth grade students, and cover the costs of the related infrastructure and software, the district borrowed $750,000 from its working cash bonds. According to Russell Clover, the district's business manager, the program was implemented without raising the tax rate and the borrowed money will be repaid within three years.

In order for students to take their computer home they have to pay an insurance policy of $75, attend a training session to earn their Internet "drivers license" and attend a required meeting with a parent. The school had to improve their infrastructure to allow wireless Internet access.

To read more about this program, including a FAQ for families, check out Trimpe students get laptops by Cynthis M. Ellis.