Huge Federal Technology Grant Helps Cascade School District Students

In late September, thanks to diligent efforts of Cascade School District superintendent Tracey Beckendorf-Edou over the summer, the district learned that it won a huge federal grant through the “Emergency Connectivity Fund” program. This is a new subcategory within the federal E-Rate program, which has been in place for two decades. The E-Rate program helps make telecommunications and information services more affordable for schools and libraries.

The total technology grant that CSD won is for $282,732.

Beckendorf-Edou explained the process. “I initially learned about the Emergency Connectivity Fund grant application on July 13,” she said. “The application process got hard fast. Dwight [Remick, CSD business manager] and I had to work with AT&T, Dell, the ESD and the state in order to make sense of the application and to submit the required documents. Luckily, Susan Tenkhoff, the Emergency Connectivity Fund coordinator for the state, was extremely helpful, and Dwight and I were both very persistent.

“When we learned that we were fully funded, we were so excited! It was kind of like running through a really difficult obstacle course and miraculously finding out that you were the winner.”

Hot spots for 51 families and 100 students were one item covered by the grant. “The ECF program will reimburse for the cost of equipment and broadband connections used to help students and staff who otherwise lack access to be able to engage in remote learning,” said Remick. “In our case, we submitted to be able to continue to provide hotspots to our families that don't have internet access. Quite often this is because internet connections are not available in the area where they live.”

The bulk of the grant was used to purchase 690 replacement laptops for students at Alpine Lakes Elementary and Icicle River Middle School. “We requested assistance in replacing the laptop computers that were sent home with students so they could continue their education when the district went to full online learning in March 2020,” explained Remick. “These same laptops were taken home all of last year so students would have connectivity available for hybrid remote learning.

“Because of increased use, and the wear-and-tear of students taking the laptops to and from school each day, we found it necessary to replace them sooner than our normal replacement cycle would allow.” The grant is allowing the district to use levy funds to accelerate the replacement cycle of laptops for Peshastin Dryden Elementary and Cascade High School as well.

The laptops have already arrived and are being configured for the network and appropriate grade level. They will be in the classrooms in a couple weeks.

With replacement laptops here, a subsequent issue revolves around what to do with the older laptops. “We’re seeking input from staff and the tech team about what options might be available for the old laptops,” said Remick.

Choices include selling them to a company that refurbishes and resells them, or letting students use the old ones at home and keep the new ones in school, or go through the surplus process so they can be available to the general public. The school board will make the final decision.

Maintaining high quality technology in the district is critical for educational opportunities and equity for students. This grant goes a long way to accomplishing that. Remick said, “The grant application was pretty time-consuming but obviously worth the effort.”