The Shawano School District announced it has been awarded over $1 million to be used to pay for the cost of the iPads distributed this September from the Emergency Connectivity Fund, part of the Federal Communication Commission’s funding in support of schools providing equipment and broadband services for students and families.
This funding blends in directly to the investments already put into network and connectivity for students and staff, according to a school district press release.
“The award will free up regular technology budget dollars to accelerate the design and implementation of presentation technologies that replace 10-year-old projectors and presentation boards to be used by staff and students to share ideas, demonstrate learning and experience the world through access to high-definition video and video conferencing capabilities,” said Vicki Lyons, a consultant with the district’s technology department.
The district held listening sessions with staff to look at how to best spend the money, according to Kurt Krizan, the district’s director of instruction and personalized learning.
“Their insight into technology and instructional support needs will help drive the use of this funding, which ensures every student has the support and resources they need to be successful.” Krizan said.
According to the FCC, the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program was established to provide funding for schools and libraries for the purchase, during the coronavirus pandemic, of connected devices and broadband connections for use by students, school staff and library patrons. One study estimates that, during the spring, more than 15 million public school students did not have home access to either an internet connection or a device adequate for distance learning, and approximately 9 million lived in households with neither an adequate connection or device.
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