ATLANTA — With more schools flipping back to virtual education for the fall semester due to increased COVID-19 cases in Georgia, the question about connectivity issues arises.
Gov. Brian Kemp and State School Superintendent Richard Woods announced Thursday that Georgia would dedicate $6 million to help school districts connect their K-12 students to the Internet.
The state is allocating the funds from the CARES Act. They will use the money to purchase equipment for districts "to improve connectivity options for students who do not have sufficient Internet access at home," according to a news release.
One option is for schools to add WiFi transmitters on school buses. Those buses would then be deployed for several hours into different neighborhoods. Some districts may opt to permanently install these transmitters in apartment complexes where there are many students living.
“In this connected age, reliable Internet access is part of the infrastructure children and families need for learning,” said Superintendent Woods. “This initiative will ensure schools and districts are prepared if distance/virtual learning is needed in the future, but will also expand the horizons of thousands of students long after the pandemic ends.”
Equipment will be granted directly to school districts for their ongoing use and management, following an online survey that was previously distributed to superintendents.