The North Adams [Massachusetts] Public Schools are hoping the iPad will entice at-risk students to improve their grades and graduate on time, reports the "North Adams Transcript" (http://macosg.me/2/oq). The school district is piloting a new program aimed at helping students earn credits for classes they’ve failed through learning modules specifically created for the Apple tablet.

"It’s designed for those students who failed a class by a few points," Drury High School Principal Amy Meehan said Tuesday during the district’s School Committee meeting. "Right now we’re targeting freshmen and sophomores who have failed by one marking period. Instead of attending traditional summer school, they’re able to do a module, which is the equivalent of one marking period, and replace that marking period’s grade with a passing grade."

She said the program not only helps the student recover the missing graduation credit, but also eliminates the need for the student to retake the class the following year. Last year, the state awarded the city US$184,384 to purchase 16 iPads and develop online courses/modules for students most at risk of not graduating on time. The district received a second grant from the state in July for $18,260 to supplement the evaluation and technical assistance portion of its original grant.