"The Talk of Maine" piece on the once controversial and now widely admired Maine

Jeff Clark

Source

Down East

Date

9-1-2007

Pages

27, 30-32

Abstract

"The Talk of Maine" piece on the once controversial and now widely admired Maine laptop initiative that puts Apple iBooks in the hands of every 7th- and 8th-grade student. At least a third of the state's schools have expanded the program at their own expense. No school district has opted out. Gov. Angus King pushed the program through the Legislature in 2001, and a $1 million-grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation helped pay for teacher training the first year. Though results are difficult to measure, it appears that writing skills improve, disabled students are given an advantage, and student math scores can increase when teachers are given training. Other countries and states are watching Maine's progress.

Subjects

Gates, Bill and Melinda Foundation, Maine Learning Technology Initiative, Laptop computers

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