DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A pilot project by Dubuque schools to install Wi-Fi on seven school buses is already a hit with students who say they can get work done during long trips to and from school.

Dubuque Community School District officials launched a pilot project last week to offer students Wi-Fi access on seven district buses, the Telegraph Herald (http://bit.ly/2o94VCN ) reported. They say the goal is to give students an opportunity to continue their classroom studies on long rides home or to activities.

"You have that period of time that students leave school and before they get home," said Coby Culbertson, the district's director of technology. "What better way for them to be engaged and to also ... continue their studies if they have access to internet accessibility with these Wi-Fi capable buses?"

District officials will evaluate the effort's future based on how students decide to use the Wi-Fi access.

Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School sixth-grader Piper Bries says she doesn't have internet access at home, but now she takes advantage of Wi-Fi access on her bus to work on math, science, social studies and reading homework.

"It's awesome, and it's cool," she said. "If I need to get homework done, I get on Canvas (the district's learning management system). I hop right on it, and I can get my work done if I don't get it done in eighth period."

The internet access now is available on four activities buses, two route buses and one bus used for both. Culbertson said the buses have a private internet connection to the district's servers, so students' access is subject to the same filters they'd experience if they were at school.

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Information from: Telegraph Herald, http://www.thonline.com