This article features a major statewide initiative in North Carolina that is showing how a consortium model can minimize risks for districts and help them exploit the advantages of cloud computing. Edgecombe County Public Schools in Tarboro, North Carolina, intends to exploit a major cloud initiative being refined in the state and involving every…

Discusses connecting K-12 schools to the National Information Infrastructure. Presents four technology models and the estimated costs for each. Examines programs that could help reduce hardware, training, support, and retrofitting costs, and estimates potential savings. (JKP)