According to a recent press release, eighth-grade students at Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School in Raleigh, NC, dramatically improved performance on the North Carolina Computer Competency Test after one year in a one-to-one learning environment.
The program is a partnership between the Wake County Schools, the business analytics company SAS, and the Friday Institute at North Carolina State University. The Friday Institute assists with staff development, observation and evaluation. Wake County Schools also contributes to evaluation and provides infrastructure and technical support. SAS provided more than 200 laptops for eighth-grade teachers and students, plus teacher training on and access to SAS Curriculum Pathways.
Project manager Sharon Irby observes, "Students today grow up with e-mail, IM, text messaging and video games. They think with technology and they learn with technology. We've witnessed in just one year what a large impact it can make." Irby also emphasizes the importance of collaborative curriculum development, organizational structure, strategic planning, teacher leadership, technical support, evaluation and sustainability in one-to-one learning. "Let the curriculum drive the technology," she advises.
Lead teacher George Ward adds, “My class went from being teacher-centered to student-centered. Students learning at their own paces feel empowered.”

Source: SAS press release, One-to-one laptop learning succeeds at Raleigh’s Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School. See also: North Carolina Computer Competency Test