543 High Schools Participating In Third Year of Program

    HARRISBURG, Pa., July 31 /eMediaWorld-USNewswire/ -- Governor Edward G.
Rendell today said 182 more high schools in 152 additional school districts
will benefit from his Classrooms for the Future initiative, which already
has transformed the learning experience for hundreds of thousands of
Pennsylvania students.

    The expansion of Classrooms for the Future, now entering its third
year, means it will benefit students in 543 high schools across 453
districts in 2008-09. The program, which reached 350,000 students in its
first two years, is expected to impact about 500,000 students by the end of
the approaching school year by placing about 140,000 laptops in high school
classrooms.

    "Teachers and students alike have praised Classrooms for the Future for
reinvigorating our high school classrooms," Governor Rendell said. "It not
only is making our high schools more engaging, vibrant places to learn but,
just as importantly, it is helping to ensure that our students are primed
for success beyond high school."

    The education budget signed by Governor Rendell earlier this month
provides $45 million for the purchase of laptop computers, high-speed
internet access and state-of-the-art software for high school math,
science, English and social studies classrooms. It also includes funding
for professional development to help teachers and students derive the
greatest benefit from the program.

    Classrooms for the Future has shown its value during its first two
years. Educators who have used this innovative program in their classrooms
report it has led to increased attendance and participation. An independent
evaluation of the first year of the program found:

    -- Teachers spent significantly less time lecturing and more time
working with small groups of students, and interacting with individual
students.

    -- Teachers increasingly engaged students in activities requiring
higher-order thinking, and there were significant increases in the use of
project- or problem-based learning.

    -- A significant shift in the nature of assignments given to students,
moving away from worksheets and towards "real-world, hands-on products."

    -- Teachers' attitudes changed, reflecting increased value for
technologies in the learning process, increases in effort and hours, and
increased levels of preparation to teach their subjects well. Many noted a
renewed enthusiasm for teaching.

    Among the success stories from classrooms across the commonwealth:

    -- A current events teacher used Classrooms for the Future equipment to
help her students stage a videoconference with a soldier serving in Iraq.

    -- In a science class, a group of students studying bridge design used
computer software to not only design structures but also to test them to
determine whether they would work in a real-life application.

    -- An English teacher used this technology while having her class read
"To Kill A Mockingbird." The students used the laptops to conduct
mini-research projects on various aspects of the novel, including the time
period, the author and themes within the book. The students then made
multimedia presentations to their class, allowing them to share what they
had learned and making them active, rather than passive, learners.

    -- A classroom lesson in early civilizations used the technology to put
students in the role of a Neolithic people that developed a community and
interacted with other civilizations through trade and cultural outreach.

    Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak said greater student engagement
and collaborative learning is not the only benefit.

    "Classrooms for the Future also helps students see how their academic
coursework relates to the world outside the classroom, giving a deeper
meaning to what goes on inside and outside school," he said.

    In addition to the newly funded high schools, another 270 districts
that have been part of Classrooms for the Future during the past two years
will receive continuing technology funding in the coming school year, while
another 31 previously funded districts will continue to receive state
funding for the professional development efforts that are a critical part
of the program.

    "A key component of Classrooms for the Future is professional
development -- teaching our teachers the best ways to incorporate the
technology into the learning experience," Zahorchak said. "Technology alone
cannot transform our classrooms. It must be coupled with first-rate
educators who understand the best ways to use that technology to teach."

    The governor said his goal is to make Classrooms for the Future
available to every high school in the commonwealth that wants to
incorporate it into their learning. The governor's original plan called for
a $200 million investment. This year's funding brings the total investment
for the first three years to $155 million. In addition, each school gets
professional development funding for teacher coaching.

    For more information on these efforts or the Governor's 2008-09
education budget, visit http://www.pde.state.pa.us.

    The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public
education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing
economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out
more about Governor Rendell's initiatives and to sign up for his weekly
newsletter, visit http://www.governor.state.pa.us.

    EDITOR'S NOTE: The list below includes only those schools receiving
first-time Classrooms for the Future funding during 2008-09. Funding
amounts for schools that have taken part in Classrooms for the Future in
prior years and will receive continuing funding in 2008-09 can be found at
http://www.pde.state.pa.us.

    Newly funded schools



    Adams County
    Littlestown Area SD         $138,210
    Upper Adams SD              $104,861

    Allegheny County
    Bethel Park SD              $188,223
    Brentwood Borough SD         $76,390
    Carlynton SD                $110,540
    Chartiers Valley SD         $172,705
    Clairton City SD             $74,691
    Keystone Oaks SD            $164,329
    Montour SD                  $177,476
    North Hills SD              $168,758
    West Jefferson Hills SD     $121,141
    Woodland Hills SD           $188,223

    Armstrong County
    Apollo-Ridge SD              $83,715
    Freeport Area SD             $85,201
    Leechburg Area SD            $74,691
    Lenape AVTS                  $74,691

    Beaver County
    Ambridge Area SD            $107,792
    Beaver Area SD               $81,353
    Blackhawk SD                $113,840
    New Brighton Area SD        $110,962
    Rochester Area SD            $76,351

    Bedford County
    Northern Bedford County      $81,418

    Berks County
    Antietam SD                  $74,691
    Exeter Township SD          $188,223
    Fleetwood Area SD           $163,558
    Muhlenberg SD               $158,935
    Twin Valley SD              $156,889
    Wyomissing Area SD          $110,962

    Blair County
    Bellwood-Antis SD            $83,441
    Claysburg-Kimmel SD          $74,691
    Hollidaysburg Area SD       $162,699
    Williamsburg Community       $74,691

    Bradford County
    Northeast Bradford SD        $74,691
    Towanda Area SD             $110,498

    Bucks County
    Bristol Borough SD           $77,187
    Centennial SD               $188,223
    New Hope-Solebury SD         $74,691
    Palisades SD                 $74,691
    Quakertown Community SD     $188,223

    Butler County
    Mars Area SD                $160,957
    South Butler County SD      $165,458

    Cambria County
    Forest Hills SD              $97,634

    Cameron County
    Cameron County SD            $74,691

    Carbon County
    Lehighton Area SD           $126,339
    Panther Valley SD           $105,138

    Centre County
    Bellefonte Area SD          $165,458

    Chester County
    Great Valley SD             $116,057
    Oxford Area SD              $177,943
    Phoenixville Area SD        $157,938
    Tredyffrin-Easttown SD      $188,223
    Unionville-Chadds Ford SD   $188,223

    Clarion County
    Allegheny-Clarion Valley     $74,691

    Clearfield County
    Clearfield Area SD          $148,208
    Glendale SD                  $17,975

    Columbia County
    Bloomsburg Area SD           $83,441
    Columbia-Montour AVTS        $86,463

    Crawford County
    Conneaut SD                 $224,074
    Crawford Central SD         $214,474
    Penncrest SD                $239,663

    Dauphin County
    Halifax Area SD              $74,691
    Middletown Area SD          $110,962
    Steelton-Highspire SD        $80,405

    Delaware County
    Garnet Valley SD             $74,691
    Interboro SD                $188,223
    Wallingford-Swarthmore      $188,223

    Erie County
    General McLane SD           $123,096
    Harbor Creek SD             $138,210
    North East SD                $98,713
    Wattsburg Area SD           $107,459

    Fayette County
    Connellsville Area SD       $188,223
    Frazier SD                   $75,926
    Uniontown Area SD           $188,223

    Forest Area
    Forest Area SD              $149,383

    Franklin County
    Chambersburg Area SD        $142,237
    Greencastle-Antrim SD       $165,458

    Fulton County
    Southern Fulton SD           $74,691

    Greene County
    Central Greene SD           $136,749
    West Greene SD               $74,691

    Huntingdon County
    Huntingdon Area SD          $130,482
    Mount Union Area SD          $78,140
    Southern Huntingdon Co       $83,715

    Indiana County
    Homer-Center SD              $74,691
    Indiana Area SD             $136,522
    Purchase Line SD             $83,008
    United SD                    $74,691

    Jefferson County
    Brockway Area SD             $83,715

    Lackawanna County
    Valley View SD              $138,210

    Lancaster County
    Cocalico SD                 $174,072
    Columbia Borough SD          $74,691
    Eastern Lancaster County    $188,223
    Elizabethtown Area SD       $188,223
    Ephrata Area SD             $188,223
    Pequea Valley SD            $110,962

    Lawrence County
    Ellwood City Area SD        $110,962
    Lawrence County CTC          $74,691
    Neshannock Township SD       $74,691
    Union Area SD                $74,691

    Lehigh County
    East Penn SD                $188,223
    Whitehall-Coplay SD         $188,223

    Luzerne County
    Crestwood SD                $187,656
    Pittston Area SD            $188,223
    Wyoming Area SD             $147,120

    Lycoming County
    Montoursville Area SD        $74,691
    Williamsport Area SD        $188,223

    McKean County
    Otto-Eldred SD               $74,691
    Port Allegany SD             $75,604

    Mercer County
    Grove City Area SD          $138,210
    Hermitage SD                 $78,392
    Lakeview SD                  $77,057
    Sharpsville Area SD          $83,715

    Montgomery County
    Pottsgrove SD               $153,356
    Spring-Ford Area SD         $188,223
    Upper Moreland Twp SD       $150,561
    Upper Perkiomen SD          $188,223

    Northampton County
    Pen Argyl Area SD           $110,962
    Saucon Valley SD            $124,791

    Northumberland County
    Line Mountain SD             $82,277
    Milton Area SD              $137,788
    Warrior Run SD              $102,676

    Perry County
    Greenwood SD                 $74,691

    Philadelphia County
    Philadelphia City SD      $4,517,356

    Schuylkill County
    Blue Mountain SD            $148,630
    Minersville Area SD          $74,691
    Pottsville Area SD          $185,465
    Tamaqua Area SD             $125,812
    Williams Valley SD           $74,691
    Tri-Valley SD                $74,691

    Somerset County
    Salisbury-Elk Lick SD        $74,691
    Shade-Central City SD        $74,691

    Venango County
    Titusville Area SD          $138,210

    Washington County
    Avella Area SD               $74,691
    Bethlehem-Center SD          $80,545
    Chartiers-Houston SD         $74,691
    McGuffey SD                 $107,168
    Peters Township SD          $188,223

    Westmoreland County
    Belle Vernon Area SD        $165,458
    Burrell SD                  $105,874
    Derry Area SD               $154,406
    Greater Latrobe SD           $50,425
    Hempfield Area SD           $188,223
    Jeannette City SD            $83,377
    Kiski Area SD               $188,223
    Ligonier Valley SD          $149,383
    Mount Pleasant Area SD      $123,540
    New Kensington-Arnold SD    $138,210
    Penn-Trafford SD            $188,223
    Yough SD                    $132,621

    Wyoming County
    Tunkhannock Area SD         $154,610

    York County
    Dover Area SD               $158,286
    Eastern York SD             $131,634
    Hanover Public SD            $78,545
    Spring Grove Area SD        $188,223
     
    CONTACT: Chuck Ardo

    717-783-1116

    Michael Race (PDE)

    717-783-9802