Maybe his school has a site license?

My school has a site license which means I pay something like $12 (or sometimes nothing at all) to get Microsoft Office (including Excel, Word, and Powerpoint). Basically, the school buys a site license (very expensive) which authorizes them to install a registered copy on however many hundred computers (or whatever). I guess you could find out by contacting the information technology support people at the school.

Otherwise... Maybe there is some financial assistance available through the school for required technology?