Microsoft today said new devices such as Acer Travelmate TMB113-E, Asus Transformer Book T100, Dell Venue 11 Pro, Fujitsu Stylistic Q704, HP 210 Notebook PC and HP ElitePad 1000, Lenovo ThinkPad 11e and Toshiba Satellite NB15t will be available for U.S. public school districts for digital transition.
The starting price of these devices that feature Windows 8.1 is $300.
Microsoft’s YouthSpark initiative is to empower youth through technology. Microsoft’s investment is in partnership with President Obama’s ConnectED initiative to advance technology and learning in the classroom.
In addition, Microsoft exam delivery provider Certiport is providing certification exams worth over $5 million following students’ completion of Microsoft IT Academy training.
The Microsoft IT Academy provides a complete technology and certification training solution for schools, enabling students to learn the skills needed for today’s workforce, and is part of Microsoft’s $1 million investment in reaching the 2,000 highest needs schools in the U.S.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools recently announced the purchase of over 47,000 HP notebook PCs and tablets for students and teachers.
In addition, Microsoft will be offering digital transition training to 700 Miami-Dade teachers in the coming weeks with additional training for 1,000 more teachers over the summer.
Over 350,000 students can download Office 365 via the Student Advantage benefit, which allows Office 365 school customers to access Office 365 ProPlus for all its students at no additional cost. This will support a consistent experience between classroom and home, and supports the district’s bring-your-own-device (BYOD) efforts.
In addition, the district is providing Internet access and laptops through EveryoneOn for over 1,000 high-need homes and it is about to begin implementing Microsoft IT Academy in select elementary, middle and high schools.
Schools using Microsoft solutions to improve student outcomes include Clear Creek School District, Fresno Unified School District and the Kentucky Department of Education.
