Apple Scheme Gives Old iPads To New Teachers

An Apple-led project has seen over 9,000 first-gen iPads offered to Teach for America teachers, after the Cupertino company invited iPad 2 upgraders to donate their unwanted original tablet. Teach for America – which puts recent graduates into low-income public schools across the US – worked with Apple on the distribution, Fortune reports, which began earlier this month.

Although most who bought an iPad 2 this year either sold their previous iPad to help offset the cost, or gave it to a family member or friend, some obviously decided Apple's invitation to donate it to a classroom was more tempting.

Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs' wife, Laurene Powell, sits on the board of directors of Teach for America. Participants in the school scheme, which runs over 38 states, were asked to register before the end of August if they wanted one of the free slates.

Although a single iPad per classroom falls well short of other high-profile school schemes in which all students have been equipped with the iOS slate, according to those involved the lure of Cupertino hardware is already working as a strong motivator. "I've figured out it can make [students] finish their work fast for 'iPad time.'" Katie Remington, a science teacher in a St. Louis school says.