Governor Mitt Romney yesterday proposed taking advantage of newlydeveloped $100 laptops and giving one to every student in publicmiddle and high schools.
As part of an overall package of education initiatives, Romneycalled for spending $54 million for laptops to make the Internetaccessible to all students. In all, 500,000 students would receivelaptops if the Legislature approves the governor's plan.
Romney, during a news conference, highlighted the low-pricelaptops, which were developed by the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology Media Lab. Giving laptops to students would be phased-inover three years, beginning with students in sixth grade, he said.
Some states, including Maine, as well as large school systems,have given free laptops to students only to later scale back becauseof the costs of maintaining the program.
Massachusetts Teachers Association president Catherine A. Boudreausaid the money would be better spent on basics such as smaller classsizes and better textbooks.
She said it doesn't make sense to give the laptops to all middleand high school students, whether they need them or not.
In the Boston public schools, TechBoston Academy, a small highschool, began issuing laptops to its students when it opened in 2002.Grants helped pay for the computers. Two new Boston public highschools plan to follow suit.
Romney said his education package would cost roughly $600 millionover the next five years.
Along with laptops for middle and high school students, Romneyproposed merit pay for teachers; training for parents; an effort toturnaround underperforming schools; and math and science college-level courses for high school students.
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