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Dickenson County to lead application for $850,000 USDA distance-learning grant with Scott County partnership
Summary
Superintendent staff recommended and the school board authorized Dickenson County Public Schools to serve as the formal lead on a USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant application that would tap an $850,000 program and split match costs 50/50 with Scott County Schools.
Mister Wallace, the district presenter, told the board the USDA Rural Utilities Service Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) program would help expand classroom access to interactive video, virtual reality and other instructional technology and asked the board to authorize the division to serve as the formal and financial lead on a multi-division application with Scott County.
"The amount the USDA has released for this grant this year is 850,000," Wallace said, adding that the division previously received "over $400,000 worth of equipment" through earlier participation and now intends to expand that work. Wallace said the proposed agreement with Scott County would split match costs, with Dickenson taking 50% of the match and Scott County taking the other 50%.
Board members had no substantive questions beyond clarifying past participation and the proposed partnership. After a motion and a second, the board voted by voice to authorize staff to move forward as the formal applicant, finalize an equipment plan and complete the submission process.
Why it matters: the DLT program provides federal grant funding that districts can use to purchase teleconferencing systems, classroom instructional technology and immersive tools intended to broaden course access in rural divisions. Wallace told the board that earlier, informal participation yielded sizable equipment awards and that this formal lead role would make Dickenson responsible for financial management of the multi-division project.
Next steps: district staff will finalize partner agreements and equipment plans, complete the grant submission, and return to the board as needed for any required match approvals or budget amendments if the grant is awarded.
