Western Massachusetts schools will receive just over $480,000 of the $3.8 million dollar Digital Connections Partnership Schools Grants awarded last week by the Baker-Polito Administration. Sixteen schools within Belchertown, Gill-Montague, North Adams, Northampton and Leverett School districts were awarded between $1,641 and $120,464 towards improving their technology infrastructure.

The Digital Connections Partnership Schools Grants are administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) and the Office of Municipal and School Technology within the Executive Office of Technology Services (EOTSS).  The grants provide funds from the state that help public schools build their 21st century teaching and learning via technology, Wi-Fi and additional broadband access.

“This Digital Connections grant allows Gill-Montague schools to update the WiFi infrastructure in all of our schools, including Hillcrest Elementary, which had very outdated and limited access points. Now, our students will be able to experience digital learning in their classrooms without dead zones and hard to connect areas” noted Tina Mahaney, Director of Information Technology and Educational Data Services at Gill-Montague.

Statewide, grants were awarded to 30 rural schools, 17 suburban schools, and 32 urban schools within 27 districts. CES congratulates this year’s recipients!