Two pilot schools in South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds’ laptop plan say they will continue the program even after state money is gone, the Argus Leader reports. Superintendent Mark Greguson’s Chester Area district was among 20 schools that signed up in the pilot program that became Classroom Connections, Rounds’ three-year initiative for a state-local split on the $39 million cost of providing laptop computers for all high school students in South Dakota. "I’ll guarantee you, anyone who has it would have a hard time dropping it," Greguson said. "We’re trying to expand it to junior high, if not this year, then next. We didn’t get into the [three-year] lease. We paid for everything outright. We use it in every phase of our program." If the district tried to eliminate laptops, "the students would demand it, and so would our teachers," he said. Chris Christensen of Dupree, another first-year school in the program, is more reserved, but he says the program will continue at Dupree, too, after state funding ends. "It’s certainly worthwhile," he said. "It has helped the kids a lot…"

Click here for the full story