HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania education officials need to improve their management of a grant program that equips high school classrooms with laptop computers, state Auditor General Jack Wagner said Monday.

The state Education Department did not tell some school districts why they were initially rejected for grants they sought through the Classrooms for the Future program, and it failed to encourage participation by districts that did not apply for the money, according to an audit by Wagner's office.

The audit found that about 10 percent of the state's 501 school districts did not participate in the program, which has distributed $155 million in grants since it began in the 2006-07 school year.

"If Classrooms for the Future funding continues, every district should benefit and there should be a greater accountability of public dollars," Wagner said in a news release.

Gov. Ed Rendell's administration originally envisioned spending $200 million on the grants over three years, but $45 million was cut from the program in the 2008-09 state budget. Wagner's audit recommended that the state continue the program in the 2009-10 fiscal year so it can be fully implemented.

The grants pay for laptop computers for high school mathematics, science, English and history classrooms. Proponents say the program makes the school curriculum more engaging and teaches students computer skills that are essential to succeeding in college and the work force.

Only 30 participating school districts have received the maximum grant awards for which they are eligible, while 50 never applied for the grants, Wagner said. Four districts were rejected for grants in the program's first year and never reapplied, he said.

Education Department spokesman Michael Race said officials provided forums to educate districts about the grants and responded to inquiries by those who wanted to know why their applications were rejected. The department also devoted the bulk of the money to districts that needed the greatest financial assistance to buy the laptops, Race said.

"One of the things we took into account was what existing technology they had, so we wouldn't be duplicating anything," Race said. "We had to make decisions about which districts are in greatest need of getting this technology into their classrooms."

The audit said the department also did not go far enough to verify that schools bought eligible equipment with their grants and protected it against loss or theft.

Although the department received monthly reports from companies that provided the computers, it did not require all school districts to submit invoices documenting their purchases, Wagner said. Officials also recommended certain measures school districts should take for securing their equipment, but did not mandate them or require districts to notify the state about lost, stolen or damaged equipment, he said.

Wagner's audit noted that laptops and other equipment purchased through the grant program were stolen from at least two school districts in May.

The agency does require school districts to keep the laptops locked inside security carts when they are not in use.