POLK COUNTY, Fla. — With schools closed through the remainder of the school year, Polk County Public Schools are working to get families the internet access they need to finish out school work.
The district teamed up with Polk Vision for a new initiative called "Synced for Students."
The district will deploy a fleet of 50 specially-equipped buses on Monday morning that will serve as Wi-Fi hotspots in areas of need.
Dr. Tina Barrios, assistant superintendent of Information Systems & Technology, said Monday morning they estimate roughly a third of students in their county don't have access to internet at home. She says it's not just their students who lack access to the technology they need.
"We have a fairly good number of staff that do not have internet access, and some that don’t have a computer at home. We were surprised about that, so we’re working through that as well," Dr. Barrios said.
The district has already given out about 23,000 devices to students who needed them.
Rob Davis, assistant superintendent of Support Services, says law enforcement will be patrolling the areas where the buses are deployed. He says the 50 buses will be in 86 locations, moving throughout the day on a schedule.
The buses will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays at designated sites. During these hours students and families will be able to connect to the internet.
You can find a list of locations here.
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