IBM Gives Colleges, Schools $20 Million

IBM will give more than $20 million in equipment and technical support to expand the use of computers in teacher training at Cal State campuses and in classroom education at elementary and secondary schools throughout California, officials announced Wednesday.

The gift announcement, which was made at a downtown Los Angeles news conference, also marked the formal start of a partnership between the Cal State system, the state Department of Education and the corporation to improve education, officials said.

The gift was described as the computer giant’s largest single educational development donation ever.

“We want to have California be the leader in applying technology to learning and teaching,” said IBM Western Area Vice President Ronald Kilpatrick.

The two-year project will involve an estimated 2,200 IBM personal computers, various communications networks, new software and establishment of centers to train teachers in the use of technology in the classroom. Officials said they expect 12 Cal State campuses and 20 school districts to receive help. A committee from the company and the education systems will choose recipients soon.