IBM equipping schools nationwide

A private company that manages 108 public schools nationwide has chosen

IBM Corp.'s hardware and software to equip its K-12 network. Edison Schools

Inc. and IBM also have agreed to collaborate in research and development

on educational products.

IBM will provide Edison with Netfinity Servers, NetVista Desktops, ThinkPads,

a network infrastructure and Tivoli enterprise network management software.

Edison also will purchase IBM personal computers for its employees and all

its students from third grade and up.

Sean Rush, general manager of IBM's Global Education Industry, said the

agreement provides business to IBM and enables the two companies to work

toward better products for education. "It provides an opportunity to collaborate

and create new and innovative appliances," he said.

Last school year, Edison managed 79 public schools, with 37,500 students

in 16 states and 36 cities. Through contacts with school districts and public

charter school boards, Edison assumes operational responsibility for individual

schools in return for per-pupil funding.

This fall, 29 new Edison schools will run on an IBM platform and the 79

existing schools will convert to the platform over time.