ICOE using grants to help families with no internet access

The Imperial County Office of Education is using their grants to help local students whose families can’t afford basic internet by funding to further extend the BorderLink Wireless Network Project to the rural parts of Imperial County.

The United States Department of Agriculture has announced that the Imperial Valley Telecommunications Authority has received eight USDA Community Facilities Grants totaling $840,000.

In addition, the IVTA is allocating an additional $360,000 for a total of $1.2 million towards the Borderlink Project, which was the focus of the grant proposal. ICOE is a founding member and administrator of the IVTA which operates on behalf of public agencies throughout Imperial County.

Students will no longer worry about having the access they need to further their education.

They will be able to engage with other students or teachers, access their digital curriculum and other resources. They will also have access at home, with the same protections and policies that districts maintain at school.

“We are very pleased that the USDA selected to fund all of the proposals we submitted on behalf of rural communities in Imperial County,” commented Dr. Todd Finnell, County Superintendent of Schools. “These grants will allow us to expand access in some of our most underserved communities. It’s exciting to think of the possibilities that this access will bring to students and families.”