The Mississippi Department of Education announced last week it has distributed more than 325,000 computers to school districts across the state as part of the first phase of the Mississippi Connects digital learning plan.
That total includes 1,188 Chromebooks and 190 Apple MacBooks that were delivered to the Tate County School District on Oct. 2, and 1,128 Chromebooks, 278 iPads and 10 MacBooks to Senatobia City Schools on Nov. 12.
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carey Wright said challenges produced by the COVID-19 pandemic provided the opportunity for collaboration among MDE, lawmakers, elected leaders, district leaders and state and national partners. Mississippi’s statewide approach to providing technology to students was planned and implemented in a matter of weeks after state legislators approved funding.
The Mississippi Legislature allocated $200 million earlier this year for Mississippi Connects to purchase devices through two laws: the Equity in Distance Learning Act (SB 3044) and the Mississippi Pandemic Response Broadband Availability Act (HB 1788). The state’s eventual goal is for every student to receive the technology needed to learn both at school and at home.
On top of the 325,000 devices ordered through computer devices through Mississippi Connects, school districts throughout the state purchased an additional 65,000 devices outside of the program.
“The completion of the first phase of this initiative required a lot of hard work and commitment by all involved, and I can think of no better reason for this project than to give our students the best opportunities to continue their learning at school or at home,” Wright said in a press release.
MDE is now collaborating with technology partners to offer virtual professional development focused on purposeful integration of technology in instruction for teachers. Participants have taken part in sessions from MDE partners, FriEd Technology, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Intel, Schoology and Canvas, on topics ranging from student engagement to best practices for hybrid and online instruction and learning.
Gov. Tate Reeves ordered Mississippi schools to stop providing in-person instruction during the spring as the coronavirus began spreading across the state.
As schools moved to online lessons for the final weeks of the 2019-20 academic year, “it became very evident very quickly, children that had connectivity and children that did not,” Wright said.
Some Mississippi schools have continued online-only instruction during the fall semester, while many have offered in-person classes or a mix of in-person and online. State legislators allocated part of the federal coronavirus relief money to expand internet access, particularly in rural areas.
School districts were able to decide how to spend their share of the money. Some have offered wireless hotspots and others have wanted to put up towers to improve cellphone service, Wright said.
The laptops and tablets that arrived through the bulk purchasing program were loaded with all the software they need, and a protective case was put on each device.
“When the districts received those devices, all they had to do was take it out of the box, and it was ready to roll,” Wright said. Wright said about 80 or 90 people are working on a professional development team to provide training for teachers, school staff and parents about how to use laptops and tablets.
“Teachers have the ability to request training based on their specific needs,” Wright said. “We greatly appreciate our partners offering this high-quality professional development that will directly help teachers, and ultimately, the students they serve.”
