CARES Act Funds Will Help 60,000 WA Students With Remote Learning

OLYMPIA, WA — Many school districts in Washington state will be resuming remotely when the school year begins next month, thanks to a recent surge in coronavirus cases. But not every family in Washington has the means or the tools to access remote learning— a problem which the state is trying to address through a new round of CARES Act spending.

The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction confirms that they have sent out $8.8 million dollars to help buy internet for more than 60,000 Washington students. That's over a third of the OSPI's CARES Act funding: the act provided $21 million to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and $195 million was allocated directly to school districts.

The $8.8 million will be used to pay internet subscriptions for lower income families for a full year, with the goal of helping as many students as possible access remote learning tools online.

State officials have long said that in-person learning is preferable to taking classes online because it's more fair for families and students who can't afford the internet or computers.

“Access to internet is an equity issue, and I intend to use this jump start of one-time federal funds to create a push for universal basic education connectivity,” said Chris Reykdal, Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Now that the money has been issued to school districts across the state, the superintendent's office says those districts will begin contacting eligible families over the next few weeks.

The state recently recommended that most school districts remain remote for the foreseeable future. The guidance is not legally-binding and districts will be given the authority to independently make the choice whether they should reopen their doors, but most districts in Pierce and King counties have announced they will follow the guidance and keep classes online in the fall, or until case counts improve.

Read more: Washington Recommends Most Schools Should Remain Remote This Fall

In the meantime, Reykdal says Washington's school districts are doing the best they can to improve remote learning for when classes resume next month.

“Our system has transformed very rapidly to create a more predictable and effective remote learning experience for students and families this fall," said Reykdal. "Moments of crisis create opportunities, and our investments in training, connectivity, and community-based partners will make us a stronger public education system when we put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror."

Related: Pediatric Coronavirus Cases Are Soaring; How Washington Is Doing