HARRISBURG -- Gov. Ed Rendell yesterday touted two educational programs that were pioneered in southwestern Pennsylvania as models that the whole state should copy.

One is a technology program led by the Quaker Valley School District, whose goal is to put laptop computers on the desk of every high school student in the district.

Mr. Rendell called Quaker Valley Superintendent Jerry Longo "a visionary" and introduced him to the packed Capitol chamber where the governor was delivering his budget message.

Mr. Rendell said Dr. Longo is showing other education officials "how to build Classrooms for the Future.''

That's the name of one of Mr. Rendell's educational initiatives in his 2006-07 budget. It's a $200 million program to equip public high school classrooms in each district by 2009 with laptop computers on the desk of each student and to train teachers in how to use the technology to boost learning.

Also present at the Capitol yesterday was Vince Valicenti, director of a 12-year-old program called ASSET, or Achieving Student Success through Excellence in Technology.

The program was developed in 1994 by the Bayer Corp. and education officials who wanted to change the way science was taught in kindergarten through grade 6.

Students in 47 districts in southwestern counties, are given "high quality science materials'' and teachers are given special training in teaching science to elementary students, said Mr. Valicenti. The program budget is now $2 million.

Mr. Rendell proposed spending another $10 million to extend the science program to up to 150 more public schools around the state.