Digital Equity Support for Students: A Grant Program Supported by the Coronavirus Relief Fund
Did you know?
Equal access to technology affects educational outcomes and to closing the opportunity gap. Yet, based on a Public Health Seattle King County’s 2020 report, we know that about 6,700 children in King County do not have access to a computer in their home and another 14,600 have no internet access or only a dial-up connection.
In 2020, Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) received a King County K-12 Digital Equity Grant from the Coronavirus Relief Fund. The funds we received were used for these vital activities for students:
- Purchasing computers, tablets, and other computing devices for students. By purchasing strategically and cost-effectively, the PSESD was able to support 1,403 students with these equipment purchases.
- Providing internet connectivity including on Wi-Fi devices for 1,727 students.
- Purchasing headsets for use by 50,000 students.
PSESD also worked with the Equity in Education Coalition to provide technical assistance and training to help students, families, and caregivers maximize the use of devices and navigation of the school district’s online learning resources. Eighteen small culturally and linguistically representative community-based organizations provided personalized support to benefit 2,783 students. Assistance was multicultural and multilingual achieving digital access and digital equity for students throughout King County. This led to a call center to continue to support families and students throughout the region which is expanding, and the nation's only multilingual, multicultural tech call center.
