“A growing number of school districts that provide individual laptops to their students argue such programs cost no more than traditional computer labs,” writes Ambreen Ali for the Medill Report, “but some budget-strapped schools still face a digital divide.”

Reporting on Maine’s renewed, $48 million contract with Apple and Henrico County, Virginia’s $8 million laptop program, Ali explains that leaders in many ongoing programs say that the laptops actually save money by replacing textbooks and labs with electronic versions. At the same time, however, many districts have their doubts – attempting to save money by eliminating 1:1 programs entirely or pursing lower-cost alternatives such as thin-client computing or laptop carts:

“A lot of state money for technology has dried up,” said Brad Johnson, technology director for Cedar Falls Community Schools, referring to a $30 million Iowa technology funding initiative that was eliminated in 2002. His district relies on “thin client” labs, which use one $5,000 server to deliver content to multiple stripped-down computers that cost as little as $200.

Source: Medill Reports,Costs prevent schools from providing students laptops