by , 8:30 AM EDT, September 29th, 2004

The Springfield, Oregon school system and its board has approved the purchase of Apple iBooks to be in student and teachers hands as early as January 2005.

The approval came Monday, according to The Register-Guard newspaper. The board approved a US$800,000 budget, much of which will come from federal Title I funding. It has yet to be determined exactly how many iBooks will be purchased, but the program will include 300 students enrolled at Springfield Middle School as well as the 40 students enrolled in the Gateways Alternative Middle School program.

The four-year pilot project, called the 1 to 1 Laptop Initiative, is to increase student achievement by delivering instruction in new, engaging ways.

Springfield is a suburb of Eugene, Oregon. With a district population of 67,700, the Springfield school system serves 11,200 students in 16 elementary schools, five middle schools, two high schools and two alternative schools.