PORTLAND (AP) – Apple Computer Corp. agreed Friday to a revised deal that will place laptop computers in roughly one-third of Maine’s public high schools this fall, Education Commissioner Susan Gendron said.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Gendron, who had been working with Apple officials to salvage the program after her department failed to sign up enough schools to account for 8,400 laptops.

Apple agreed to lower its minimum participation level to 6,000 laptops without changing its annual rental price of $300, the same low price it charged for laptops in Maine’s 242 middle schools, she said.

The price includes servers and repairs, and Apple also will provide training and assist in installing the wireless networks that link the computers.

School districts could apply for money from a state renovation fund to install wireless networks before students return this fall.

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

The commissioner said Apple’s recognition of the benefits of its association with the Maine laptop program made her optimistic that an agreement would eventually be reached.

About 35 to 40 of the state’s 119 high schools will take part, she said.

Gendron said the participating schools are scattered throughout the state and offer a diverse economic mix.

“In fact, we have quite a few rural communities that are implementing the program,” she said. “And some of our poorer communities have made this a top priority.”

The state’s first-in-the-nation program that provided Apple iBook computers to more than 30,000 middle school students and teachers was originally envisioned as expanding seamlessly into high schools.

But plans to expand the program were left in disarray after the Baldacci administration decided not to press the issue during a budget crisis last spring. State lawmakers adjourned without action.

AP-ES-08-06-04 1729EDT