Source: seattlepi.nwsource.com

Florida's most impoverished schools would get more than $80 million to purchase computers, software and other services as part of the settlement of antitrust lawsuits against Microsoft Corp., Education Commissioner John Winn said Thursday.

As part of the 2003 settlement, Microsoft agreed to give half of any unclaimed benefits to Florida schools in which at least half the students succeed for free or reduced-price lunches.

The qualifying schools would get vouchers that could be used to get reimbursements for purchases of any manufacturer's computers running any operating system and software used with those products.

"These funds give Florida a unique opportunity to bolster and expand technology use for students," said Winn, who made the declaration at Tallahassee's Griffin Middle School.