11 Idaho Schools to Share $3 Million Grant for Technology

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Eleven Idaho schools will share a $3 million state grant to test technology in the classroom, everything from using Apple iPads to capture students' attention to giving Lenovo laptops to high school kids to help them build skills to attend college.

The awards were announced Monday by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna after the technology pilot program was approved by the 2013 Legislature. After voters rejected Luna's education overhaul last year, this was envisioned as a more-modest alternative to test classroom technology projects with the potential to be expanded to other Idaho schools.

Luna pledged Monday to broaden projects from these efforts, after determining the most promising ones. In all, his office had received $19.5 million worth of proposals from dozens of schools wanting a share of the cash.