The state’s latest high school laptop deal could be in jeopardy.

Education officials can guarantee a lease of only 5,500 high school computers from Apple – far less than the 8,400 required by an agreement with the computer giant.

Education Commissioner Susan Gendron told superintendents Monday that she would speak with Apple about getting the portable computers anyway. But a new deal may not be the same as the old.

“It is my hope we will continue to move forward. We may have to do some fine tuning to the original agreement,” said Gendron during a morning conference call with superintendents.

The Maine Department of Education wanted the Legislature to set aside money to expand the state’s middle-school laptop program into high schools. When that didn’t happen by the end of the past legislative session, state officials struck a deal with Apple and offered it to school systems.

Under the agreement, schools, not the state, would pay $300 per machine. The fee would cover the cost of leasing the Apple iBooks and installing wireless Internet networks in each high school.

Using money from its Revolving Renovation fund, the state would reimburse schools for some of the installation costs.

Education officials hoped that the Legislature would see the success of the middle-school project, which has been in place for two years, and would pay for laptops at all public high schools next year.

When Gendron proposed the plan last month, nearly 60 school officials immediately said they would consider it. But many had to seek formal approval from their school boards before moving forward.

It was unclear Monday how many school systems had received that approval. The deadline for participation was July 30.

The Auburn School Committee agreed to join a few weeks ago. But the Lewiston superintendent has said his school system wouldn’t take the deal because it doesn’t have the time or the money to add laptops to the high school this fall.

Gendron was expected to let superintendents know by today whether Apple would continue with the plan, offer a new deal or back out entirely.

The middle-school laptop program, which made computers available to all seventh- and eighth-grade students in all public schools, has been deemed a success by teachers and education officials.