$66 Million in Technology Vouchers Available to School Districts

State officials issued a warning Friday to school districts, including LAUSD and others in Southern California, reminding them to use $66 million in vouchers to buy technology before next year.

The funds are remaining from an antitrust settlement with Microsoft Corporation and the vouchers expire in April and September.

In order to utilize the funds, however, schools must front their own money, and then receive reimbursement later. Most of the available dollars, $212 million, have already been collected, according to The Times.

The money does not have to be used for Microsoft products, and more than $10 million remains for the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The vouchers stem from a $1.1 billion antitrust settlement that was decided in 2004. Two-thirds of the funds were appropriated for California public schools, especially the schools that serve low-income students.