Apple grants iPads, Macs, Apple TVs, more to 114 US schools in ConnectED initiative

As part of its participation in President Barack Obama's ConnectED technology in education program, Apple is giving its latest hardware, as well as services and infrastructure, to 114 schools across the U.S.

According to Apple's dedicated ConnectED webpage, a sub-listing under the Apple Education umbrella, the company says it will provide hardware, software and services support to 114 school in 29 states.

Packages will be meted out using the government's free or reduced-price lunch program as a barometer for need. Apple says it chose schools in which 96 percent of the student body qualified for the lunch program, ensuring help for some of the most economically challenged learners in the country. A breakdown of populations at partner schools shows 92 percent of students are Hispanic, Black, Native American, Alaskan Native, or Asian.

Under Apple's grant terms, students at selected schools receive an iPad, while administrators and teachers get both an iPad and a Mac to create classwork and offer support. Additionally, every classroom is outfitted with an Apple TV, which can be used to display lesson content via AirPlay. Each partner school will also be assigned an Apple Education team to help integrate the advanced learning tools into existing curriculum.

Apple is also working with educational software suppliers to deliver high quality instructional content and has partnered with Wi-Fi service providers like AT&T and Sprint to connect classrooms to the Web, one of the main tenets of President Obama's ConnectED initiative.

Earlier this year, Apple confirmed it was participating in the ConnectED program, with subsequent reports claiming the company pledged $100 million worth of products for rollout.

54 Comments

thewhitefalcon 4444 comments · 10 Years

About 10 years ago

4% to Native Americans? That's more than ridiculously low.

apple ][ 9225 comments · 13 Years

I naturally oppose such initiatives.

The $100 million could be better spent elsewhere (add it on to the stock buyback amount for example), and this program seems quite discriminatory and racist, though that doesn't surprise me one bit, given the name that is attached to this program.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apple ][

As far as the free lunch program definition goes, I know for a fact lots of schools, when they reach a certain threshold, just give free lunch to everyone. (why not, it's only hard working people's money)

This gets them good PR with the people who seem all too happy to sic the DOJ on them when Bezos cracks the whip. Think of it as slightly more expensive lobbying, it helps make it seem more reasonable.