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AAPL bids in NV $27 Education Budget...
Nevada Doles Out $27M for Computers
.c The Associated Press
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - A state panel has approved nearly $27.5 million to help school districts buy more than 13,000 computers - ensuring there will be at least one in every public classroom in Nevada.
The decision Thursday - with more than half the money going to Las Vegas schools - came a week after the Commission on Educational Technology stalled on how to split up the money.
Nevada school districts originally requested $46.5 million. During the past week, Education Department staff and the 17 districts worked out a compromise that divides the money according to a combination of need, numbers of students and other factors.
Many districts argued they need much more than computers because their classrooms lack the necessary electrical hookups and don't have wiring for Internet and network connections.
Doug Thunder, deputy superintendent for the state Department of Education, said the money should be distributed to the districts within two weeks. The money must be spent by June 1999, giving districts one year to make the purchases and install the equipment.
Before they actually get the money, however, the districts will have to present new budgets detailing their plans. Follow-up reports on actual spending also will be required.
Gov. Bob Miller and the Legislature allocated the funds as part of the Educational Reform Act, which sets tougher academic standards, requires school-by-school accountability and provides funding to help improve student achievement.
The school districts will have a choice as a result of commitments from three different manufacturers.
Dell Computer has offered a product for $999, plus $300 for installation, $300 for networking software and $200 for productivity software.
IBM has offered a price between $990 and $1,020, with the same additional costs.
Apple Computer has offered a computer at $1,199, but the price includes the productivity software listed separately for $200 in the other proposals.
The minimum specifications for the computers are that they be multimedia and network capable, with 200 megahertz, 16-speed CD-ROM, 32 megabytes of random access memory and 2 gigabits of hard drive.
The allocations include $15.2 million to Clark County, encompassing Las Vegas, which has about two-thirds of the state's students. Washoe County, encompassing Reno, got $4.4 million.
AP-NY-05-15-98 1318EDT
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