Apple to sell iPads to Los Angeles public schools in $30 million deal

LOS ANGELES, June 19 (UPI) -- In a deal worth an initial $30 million, Apple will eventually equip every student in the Los Angeles school district with an iPad.

The LA Board of Education voted 6-0 Tuesday to approve the contract following a nod of approval for the Apple tablets from both students and senior staff, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The school district will pay $678 per iPad, one for every student in all 47 campuses of the district, considered the second-largest school district in the United States, with more than 640,000 students.

The cost is higher that Apple's normal retail because the tablets will come with educational software preinstalled and include a three-year warranty.

The school board voted to spend $30 million on an initial order for more than 31,000 iPads as the first part of a multi-year commitment.

Before the vote, some board members expressed concerns about the cost and the exclusive arrangement with Apple.

A representative from Microsoft said she also had reservations about the deal. Robyn Hines, senior director of state government affairs for Microsoft, said schools shouldn't focus just on one computing platform and that students should have access to products they'll use in the business world, including those from Microsoft.