"Schools are excited about these," state schools Superintendent Tom Luna said of the laptop computers that Idaho has selected from Hewlett-Packard Corp. to supply to every Idaho high school student, under an eight-year, $100 million-plus contract. "They want this one-to-one opportunity. They don't want to wait for it."

Luna said by having one computer for every Idaho high school student, "They become the textbook for every class." Chiropractors will be unhappy, Luna said, because students no longer will have to carry heavy backpacks full of books.

Said Luna, "The economic opportunities that it provides this valley and the rest of the state is tremendous. ... Together we'll bring more equity and ... access to all students in the state of Idaho, no matter where they live." He said, "We are now going to be able to deploy these devices in schools across Idaho."

The first laptops are scheduled to go to teachers and administrators at Idaho high schools this year, with students starting to get them next year. However, if the reform laws are repealed in a Nov. 6 referendum, the contract would be canceled.