June 14, 2013
The Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) will be giving districts the option to use PC computers, rather than Apple laptops for the first time since its inception in 2002. Two dozen districts decided to switch to the HP laptop. The opt-in program will serve more than 69,000 students and educators as of Thursday. Districts will be using technology such as Apple iPads, MacBook Airs, and HP ProBook 4440 laptops this fall with:
- 39,457 students and educators using Apple’s iPad tablet ($266 per year, per seat with network),
- 24,128 using Apple’s MacBook Air laptop ($319 per year, per seat with network), and
- 5,474 using the HP ProBook 4440 laptop which runs on Microsoft Windows 7 ($286 per year, per seat with network)
Maine spends about $15 million per year to provide a device to all seventh and eighth graders and teachers in grades 7-12. Maine also offers high school students the option to buy their own devices using the state’s bulk purchasing power.
For more information, visit the Maine DOE newsroom.