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Minnesota House of Representatives

State Representative Denny McNamara

359 State Office BuildingState Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-3135

For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317

Posted: 2006-02-02 00:00:00
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NEWS RELEASE

McNAMARA: AREA SCHOOLS TO BENEFIT FROM MICROSOFT SETTLEMENT

ST. PAUL – State Representative Denny McNamara (R-Hastings) announces that area schools will soon see new technology funding, thanks to a class action lawsuit settlement between the State of Minnesota and Microsoft.

“The results of this settlement are welcome news for Hastings and South Washington County schools,” McNamara said. “These districts will be able to use this funding to improve their technological needs, which ultimately will better prepare our students for the future.”

In all, state school districts will receive $55.2 million in vouchers to buy new computer hardware and software. The money is part of a $182 million settlement which alleged that Microsoft overcharged Minnesota consumers and businesses for certain products.

McNamara said the settlement allowed that any consumer or business in Minnesota that bought certain products from Microsoft was eligible to receive vouchers to purchase new hardware or software. After the deadline for the public closed, half the value of the unclaimed vouchers was made available to the Minnesota Department of Education. The voucher amount available to each district or charter school is based upon its percentage of the state’s total free and reduced price lunch eligible students.

McNamara said Hastings will receive $180,958.73 in vouchers, and South Washington County will receive $410,593.78. The vouchers will supplement current school technology budgets and districts cannot direct current technology funds to other areas.

“In the end, our students will prove to be the biggest winners from this settlement, as they will benefit through using improved computer hardware and software” McNamara said.

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