Clark County School District (CCSD), due in large part to the support of community partners, has been making significant progress in getting devices and internet connectivity for its students.
About two months ago, the Nevada COVID-19 Response, Relief, and Recovery Task Force, in coordination with community partners, launched a statewide initiative to connect students with internet service and devices as the District initiated full-time distance education.
The Connecting Kids Nevada campaign started by inviting parents/guardians to participate in a CCSD survey to assess the need. It also promoted a newly created Family Support Center (FSC), which has live operators, Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., to connect families with devices and reliable internet. The FSC phone number is (888) 616-2476.
Here is the breakdown of the latest figures available (as of Oct. 7):
- 311,595 of CCSD’s 315,623 students (99%) have been reached regarding their technology needs (compared to 66% of students who had been contacted as of Aug. 10)
o Distance to go: 1%
- 303,203 CCSD students are connected to internet (compared to 285,981 students who had connectivity as of Sept. 15)
o Distance to go: 3%
- 307,598 CCSD students are either connected to a personal device or a CCSD issued device (compared to 288,654 students who had devices as of Sept. 15)
o Distance to go: 1%
CCSD is grateful for the outstanding work of the statewide task force, led by Chairman Jim Murren, Nevada State Board of Education President Elaine Wynn and the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation, The Public Education Foundation, Communities in Schools, and all of the community partners of the Connecting Kids Nevada initiative. Local municipalities, including Clark County and the cities of North Las Vegas and Las Vegas, have also contributed by providing staff members to knock on doors of students who might not have reliable connectivity. Click here to see the community partners.
ConnectingKidsNV.org is updated on an ongoing basis. The District will subsidize in-home Internet connections for families without in-home Internet connectivity who meet certain eligibility requirements through the 2020-2021 school year.
The District subsidy covers 100% of the family’s costs of the in-home Internet service during the school year. A variety of connection options are available; the FSC helps determine the appropriate options to meet the needs of the families requesting service.
CCSD and its community partners are still working to reach families of students, often going door-to-door, to contact them and ensure they receive necessary connectivity and devices.
