Gov. Jay Inslee is using $24 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to purchase approximately 64,000 computing devices to help more students in Washington state get connected during remote learning.
Inslee’s office made the announcement over the weekend, saying that a first shipment of 20,000 devices is expected in the coming weeks.
The state is looking to help a number of districts where thousands of students and staff do not currently have their own laptop or tablet. COVID-19 has hampered manufacturing and the global supply chain for devices and some districts have been waiting three months or more for deliveries, or they don’t have enough CARES Act or local funds to make purchases.
According to the governor’s office, bulk procurement by the state will help to bring devices to Washington more quickly — and at a lower rate.
“Having their own device is vital to students and staff participating and succeeding in distance learning,” Inslee said in the news release. “The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown challenges at every Washingtonian, especially working families and students — having the proper equipment to navigate their new educational reality shouldn’t be one of those challenges.”
Inslee’s announcement comes just days before Election Day as the governor is seeking his third term. His opponent is Republican Loren Culp.
Access to technology is a leading barrier when it comes to education equity during the ongoing health crisis. Low-income students and families are disproportionately left behind by a lack of access to devices and broadband connectivity.
“We’ve missed the boat as a country. Why every child in this country does not have a device and broadband, I don’t know, and the fact that the pandemic hasn’t been the biggest call to action around that is completely baffling to me,” said Diane Tavenner, co-founder and CEO of Summit Public Schools, during a panel discussion on the “Future of Education” at the 2020 GeekWire Summit last month.
Washington’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has allocated $8.8 million in CARES Act funds to buy internet plans for 60,000 families who cannot afford them. In addition, the state has set up more than 600 WiFi hotspots across Washington.
Inslee, along with Educational Service Districts and OSPI, will work to identify which districts will receive the first shipment of devices in early November.
