Maine Learning Technology Initiative - Change Over Time

Change Over Time

In 2009, it was announced that the MLTI program would expand into the state's high schools. That year, Maine launched the first phase of a rollout to its high schools, in which half the high schools in the state participated. Though it took six years to expand the program to high schools, it was an important part of the original vision of the program. According to Maine’s learning technology policy director Jeff Mao, “’We’ve always imagined this as a 7-12 program.’”

One major change in the high school version of the program is that high schools will have to pay for many of the costs associated with the program. While middle schools get money for “software, hardware, network infrastructure, warranties, technical support, professional development, and data-backup services,” high schools only get money for installing wireless networks into their schools. As a result, only 50% of the high schools in the state of Maine chose to participate in the rollout for the 2009-2010 school year.