Microsoft and the state of Maryland will offer free access to Office 365 to all of the state's public school students, in both school and at home. The specific financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Lillian M. Lowery stated as part of a Microsoft Education blog post:
"Near the end of 2014, we held a statewide conversation about the need to take computer science education to scale and give every student an opportunity to pursue these cutting-edge careers. The Microsoft Office 365 tools and IT Academy programs provide Maryland students with new opportunities to learn marketable skills and acquire an edge as they prepare to compete for careers in a global marketplace. We chose Microsoft tools because their programs enable every student access to the tools for learning, collaboration and creativity in school and also at home."
In addition to the free access to Office 365, Maryland open 25 new IT Academy Programs across the state.
Source: Microsoft
