KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — In May, the Knox County Schools Board of Education approved a plan to make sure every student could get a computer to help them with their studies.
Officials said parents and students will be able to register for one online starting July 17. Paper forms will also be available at schools starting July 24, according to a notice from the Knox Schools Superintendant, Bob Thomas. Once the form is submitted, parents will be contacted with information on how and when devices will be distributed.
Officials with Knox County Schools said that the device they plan on distributing will be Chromebooks. They will be available for free, but parents will have the option of paying $30 for insurance on the device.
The initiative was partly funded by the federal CARES Act, which distributed funds across the U.S. to help communities recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
Officials said they hope that by making computers available to every student, the district will have more flexibility to continue teaching. They will be able to teach during unusual circumstances, such as during a weather event or a closure due to illness.
"I believe that making computers available to our students will more fully prepare them to succeed in a world where technology plays such an important role," Thomas said in a release.
He also said that more information about the Chromebooks will be available later.