County to provide devices for local remote students

As students and educators in Canyon Lake and throughout Riverside County open the 2020-2021 school year with distance learning, thousands of students are without reliable technology to connect to their education. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors approved $10 million in federal CARES Act funds to be allocated to the Riverside County Office of Education Foundation’s “All For One” campaign. With the grant, these students will now have access to the computer devices and the internet to be able to learn from home.

“The All For One Campaign was launched to directly benefit the neediest students and families in Riverside County by providing consistent and reliable access to technology and the internet to ensure continuity of education through distance learning,” Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Judy D. White, said. “As more than 430,000 students prepare to start the school year exclusively through distance learning, I applaud the Board of Supervisors for recognizing the value to the community of investing in our students today by allocating funds that connect local students to their education.”

When schools were first closed in March, 84,855 computer devices at an approximate cost of $29.6 million, and 44,730 mobile hotspots at a cost of approximately $6 million, were identified as necessary to effectively deliver full-time distance learning to students countywide.

Since Governor Gavin Newsom mandated that instruction be delivered through distance learning to start the 2020-2021 school year, additional devices have been purchased at the county level and within school districts that deployed devices before classes begin this month.

The CARES Act funding will address the current need which is now estimated at 50,000 devices and 30,000 mobile hotspots. Staff from the Riverside County Office of Education will work with technology leaders at all 23 districts in Riverside County to address the distance learning needs of students—prioritizing the highest needs for students who need access.

“The K-12 education system is a critical partner in the county’s efforts to develop a highly skilled and educated workforce which meets the demands of the 21st century,” Riverside County Board of Supervisors Chair V. Manuel Perez said. “This investment in bridging the digital divide in Riverside County not only supports the distance learning goals outlined in the federal CARES Act funding guidelines, but provides students and families who need it most with the critical connection to educational resources while learning from home.”