COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — The Columbus Public School District has decided to disband its high school computer labs and equip every student with a MacBook Air laptop.

Superintendent Troy Loeffelholz says the nearly 1,200 Columbus High School students should be outfitted by the end of the semester due to a digital initiative district officials approved this week. The computer labs only hold about 120 students.

He says the technology will help students control their own learning pace.

The district will purchase the laptops from Apple over a four-year period at a total cost of $1.2 million. The technology director says the budget will not increase partly because the district discontinued an iPad lease agreement.

The district is expected to also consider providing laptops or iPads to elementary students.