State Rep. Joe Tolson, D-Edgecombe, said the record $21.4 billion budget passed by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Mike Easley on Friday was a good one for education.

Tolson said that $1.5 million has been appropriated for statewide expansion of the One-to-One laptop initiative, including Edgecombe County's program. Also, $1 million was allotted to the planning process of the Community Health Education Center on Edgecombe Community College's Rocky Mount campus.

It is possible for Edgecombe County Public Schools to tap into those funds. It has received $1.5 million from the Golden LEAF Foundation for the initiative so far.

Tolson, of Pientops, said he went to a laptop training session with Edgecombe County teachers last week, with them learning how to use their computers in the classroom.

"The folks there (last week) were really excited about what they're doing" to place laptops in teachers' and students' hands, he said.

"Some of the Edgecombe County teachers will be getting computers this fall," he added.

"What our goal is, is to get (laptops) to every student across the state. (There is) a big price tag, something that's going to take a while, move slowly" to achieve the ultimate goal, Tolson said. But he added that several industries have expressed interest in contributing to such a goal; even The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation "may consider a donation to our process," he said.

Dr. Craig Witherspoon, superintendent of Edgecombe County Public Schools, found out about the statewide allotment to the One-to-One laptop initiative Wednesday, calling it "great news."

Tolson said $10 million was also budgeted to complete high-speed Internet connectivity for all the state's public schools, which should complete the project.

"(High-speed Internet is) what's needed for the One-to-One laptop to be effective," Tolson said, adding that if the $10 million falls short of completing the project this year, money is set aside in 2009-10 to finish it.

The $1 million for the Community Health Education Center's planning is, Tolson hopes, a step toward securing funding for the facility's construction in next year's budget.

So far, the center's concept is to offer not only health and medical science courses, but to also have a whole floor act as a simulated hospital environment. There is also the potential for the University of North Carolina public university system to offer courses through the Rocky Mount facility.

"I've encouraged the university system and the community college system to work together on this," said Tolson, a former ECC administrator.

He said that Erskine Bowles, president of the UNC public university system, was "very receptive" about the facility's concept and its potential when he talked with him.

"He supports anything that has the university working" with the community college system, Tolson added.