Philadelphia children will soon have a glimpse into what could be the future of public education thanks to a joint project between Microsoft and the School District of Philadelphia. Microsoft representatives were on hand earlier this month to break ground on this new project, slated to open in 2006.

The "School of the Future" is being lauded by Philadelphia politicians as a way to improve quality of life for its citizens.

"This project will be a national example of what can be accomplished when the community, school district and private sector combine efforts for the city's overall good," said John Street, Mayor of Philadelphia.

Students will use smart cards for many of their daily activities, and will be able to connect wirelessly to the schools internal network. Teachers will have less paperwork, as everything from grades to student testing will be handled digitally.

The School of the Future is part of a $1.5 billion plan to drastically reform the Philadelphia school system, which has been plagued by low test scores and mismanagement which prompted a state takeover of the school system in early 2003.