By John Estridge from a University of Indianapolis press release
Union County and Franklin County school systems were awarded a grant to help with broadband connectivity and to improve online instruction.
Announced by a University of Indianapolis press release on Friday, September 18, the grant is part of a larger $4.8 million grant obtained by the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER). CELL is part of the University of Indianapolis.
CELL will partner with the Central Indiana Education Service Center over the next two years to disburse the funds and arrange for training, according to the press release.
“In addition to providing broadband for rural areas that frequently lack high-speed internet access, $3.3 million in funds will be used to connect families to the internet as well as to buy equipment such as laptops for students and teachers,” the press release reads. “The remaining $1.5 million is supporting professional development for teachers in 30 local districts.”
This is part of the federal money distributed to the states from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
According to the press release, “CELL organized the group of districts to allow them to benefit from the cooperative purchasing of devices and professional development for their staff as a networked group.”
“These grants will allow us to meet the unique needs of rural school districts and ensure that students and teachers have access to the technology they require to succeed,” Janet Boyle, Rural Early College Network (RECN) executive director, said. “We are grateful to the Governor’s Office for this valuable opportunity to address the immediate concerns of the pandemic and to prepare educators in these school districts for the technological demands of the future.”