Laptops for each student would have many benefits. One of the major benefits would be to the students' health. The average backpack is 20-25 percent of a student's weight. This can cause a student to have less balance, and therefore, have a higher chance of falling. Also, many spinal issues can arise from a student having this much strain from their backpack. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says 7, 277 emergency room visits are because of backpack-related injuries.
Another benefit to the students is always having their work. Even if out sick, the student would have access to that day's work and homework via their computer. There would never be "hiccups" in the teachers' lesson plans. The use of technology, if properly taught, makes work easier and sometimes more enjoyable.
The school would be positively affected, too. The cost of updating textbooks would be eliminated, due to the ability to download low cost digital books and "copy" the books to each laptop. The initial cost of the laptops may seem as if it would be higher than that of the textbooks, but many grants are available to pay for nearly the entire cost. A good local example is Perkins Middle School and High School in which nearly all, if not all, of the cost, was paid for by a grant. Berlin-Milan Middle School could take a similar route.
Laptops also would have many environmental benefits. No books means no need to cut down trees for paper. Plus, everything could be sent via e-mail. There would be no mailing costs for the school and very little overall paper trail.