Plano School District 88 receives $159,000 in state funds to help bridge digital gap

Plano School District 88 will receive a portion of the $80 million in state funds intended to help bridge the digital gap among Illinois students.

A statement issued Sept. 21 by the Illinois State Board of Education confirmed that the district was one of 471 districts that received funding from the Digital Equity Formula Grant, under the CARES Act, which directs federal funding to governors and state agencies to support a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the statement, District 88 received $159,314 in addition to separate funds previously received through the CARES Act. The funds cover the cost of devices such as Chromebooks and improvements to connectivity.

Plano Superintendent Tony Baker praised the grant funds, calling the influx “great for this year” and in the future for devices that are reaching the end of their life and need to be replaced.

“This will help replenish stock and replace any out-of-life devices that we have,” Baker said.

The amount awarded through the grant would allow more than 400 devices to be replenished and restock what is currently used.

This year, Baker said, every student in the district has a device.

Devices bought with the grant funds would not have built-in internet, Baker said, “but we work with those families to make sure that they have hot spots ... for students that are in a fully remote setting.”

The district currently is engaged in hybrid learning for students during the COVID-19 pandemic.