Oct. 31--In its continuing effort to provide wide access to laptop computers, Stillwater Area Schools will become the first public district in Minnesota to get its students the same discounts that teachers receive from Apple Incorporated's online computer store.

The district also is working on a deal with Dell Inc. to give students and their families the employee discount its workers receive. The school has not completed those negotiations, but plans to do so soon.

In both situations, students and their families would have special access to the companies' websites, where they would make purchases. The Apple discounts, set to become available Sunday, run from 5 to 10 percent, said Mike Dronen, the district's technology coordinator. Not all Apple products would be discounted. Discounts from both computermakers would be available to all Stillwater students and their families, Dronen said.

Apple offers the family discount at some schools outside Minnesota, but most are private institutions.

The initiatives stem from the district's developing plans to continue providing students with laptops in the classroom. Voters passed a technology levy in 2002 that was to run for five years, providing the district with $400,000 per year. District officials used those funds to get laptops to every student at Oak-Land Junior High School, and provided students at Stillwater Junior High wide access to laptops.

While Stillwater has been spared from the severe cutbacks that other districts have endured, it is not planning to ask voters for more money for computers. Other metro districts are working to increase laptop availability to students.

Dronen noted that the discounts are not huge. For example, he said, Apple charges $999 for its entry-level MacBook at its online store, but $949 with the discount; the MacBook Pro is discounted $100.

In addition to discounts, the deal with Dell would allow the district to highlight computer products that district officials recommend.

Stillwater officials are looking for other ways to preserve their laptop programs in some form, Dronen said, but a formal proposal won't likely be sent to the board until December.

Gregory A. Patterson --612-673-7287

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