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https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/districts-schools-support/digital-teaching-and-learning/legislation-policy-and-funding
Grant Application Worksheet:
Grant Application Overview Slide Deck:
Grant Application Overview Webinar Recording:
PRC 165 Waiver:
Equitable Services Under CARES Act
PRCs 165 through 170 requires notification of equitable services to all private schools, including those that declined services under Title I or PRC 163. These notifications may begin immediately, even for grants where the application process has not yet opened. Be sure to include in your invitations an RSVP date by which private schools must respond to your invitation. For a non-responsive private school, a second invitation must be sent. See the FPMS Update of November 20, 2020 for more details. For PRC 165, please be sure to collaborate with your Federal Programs Manager/Director for equitable services.
Starting December 11: Please check the DPI equitable service web page for new resources including Affirmation forms for all CARES Act PRCs, an updated Summary of Topics and Statement of Assurances.
By January 22: All initial consultations for CARES Act grants should be completed, and private schools that consult must decide to accept or decline services. This due date in independent of the due date for applying for the grant.
By January 26: Notify any other district about private schools (in your district) that have accepted services and enroll students from that district. At a minimum, provide the name of each private school, reliable contact information of the private school representative and a list of addresses and grade levels of students who reside in that district. If the private school representative has already indicated which addresses are low-income households, that should also be shared. Please protect privacy and do not include names of students or families.
By February 2: All proportionate share calculations should be completed, and all Affirmation forms should be submitted via the web-based platform appropriate to the grant.
PRC 166 and 165 Private School Affirmation Form:
https://bit.ly/prc165and166form2 * Updated 11/20/20
PRC 166 and 165 Private School Affirmation Form Submission (DUE February 2, 2021):
Other Links for Planning:
Request for Information through The Friday Institute for Digital Curriculum Vendors (RFI was extended to Dec. 30, 2020)
Current Vendors - Recommended but not required
Planning Amounts: COVID-19 Allocation Summary by Unit
The CARES Act requires that the payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund only be used to cover expenses that—
are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19);
were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CARES Act) for the State or government; and
were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020.
For questions about PRC 165, please contact Jill.Darrough@dpi.nc.gov.
Grant Application Worksheet:
Grant Application Overview Slide Deck:
Grant Application Overview Webinar Recording:
PRC 166 Waiver:
Equitable Services Under CARES Act
PRCs 165 through 170 requires notification of equitable services to all private schools, including those that declined services under Title I or PRC 163. These notifications may begin immediately, even for grants where the application process has not yet opened. Be sure to include in your invitations an RSVP date by which private schools must respond to your invitation. For a non-responsive private school, a second invitation must be sent. See the FPMS Update of November 20, 2020 for more details. For PRC 166, please be sure to collaborate with your Federal Programs Manager/Director for equitable services.
Starting December 11: Please check the DPI equitable service web page for new resources including Affirmation forms for all CARES Act PRCs, an updated Summary of Topics and Statement of Assurances.
By January 22: All initial consultations for CARES Act grants should be completed, and private schools that consult must decide to accept or decline services. This due date in independent of the due date for applying for the grant.
By January 26: Notify any other district about private schools (in your district) that have accepted services and enroll students from that district. At a minimum, provide the name of each private school, reliable contact information of the private school representative and a list of addresses and grade levels of students who reside in that district. If the private school representative has already indicated which addresses are low-income households, that should also be shared. Please protect privacy and do not include names of students or families.
By February 2: All proportionate share calculations should be completed, and all Affirmation forms should be submitted via the web-based platform appropriate to the grant.
PRC 166 and 165 Private School Affirmation Form:
https://bit.ly/prc165and166form2 * Updated 11/20/20
PRC 166 and 165 Private School Affirmation Form Submission (DUE February 2, 2021):
For questions about PRC 166, please reach out to Pam Batchelor.
The General Assembly has provided to public school units one or more of Gaggle safety management products to enhance student safety while providing remote instruction in response to COVID-19.through NC House Bill 1105.
These funds shall be used only for the purchase of Gaggle Safety Management Tools. All contracts will be a minimum of $500. Implementation will begin on or after 11/1/2020. This pricing is only good for services implemented with Coronavirus Relief Funds. If you are currently under contract with Gaggle, you are only eligible for new services or expanded licenses of current services. Contracts available include:
GSM Microsoft O365 Email and Drive - Contract 6/30/2021 - $2.50 per student,
GSM Microsoft Teams - Contract 6/30/2021 - $1.25 per student,
GSM Microsoft O365 Drive Only Contract 6/30/2021 - $1.25 per student,
GSM Google Email and Drive - Contract 6/30/2021 - $2.50 per student,
GSM Google Hangouts - Contract 6/30/2021 - $1.25 per student, and/or
GSM Google Drive Only - Contract 6/30/2021 - $1.25 per student
For additional information about Gaggle Management Tools, please visit https://news.gaggle.net/north-carolina-department-of-public-instruction. In addition, we will hold office hours with Gaggle for any questions or inquiries.
October 13, 2020: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
October 13, 2020: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Join Microsoft Teams Meeting
If your Public School Unit is interested in this opportunity, please complete this form 11:59 PM on Oct. 21, 2020.
These funds require an application. You will not be eligible to receive funding without completing the application. Funds allocated must be spent by December 30, 2020.
The General Assembly has provided additional funding to improve Internet connectivity for students, in response to COVID-19, by providing community and home mobile Internet access points are being provided through NC House Bill 1105.
Originally, NC House Bill 1043 appropriated $11,000,000 and now NC House Bill 1105 is appropriating an additional $10,000,000 to the Department of Public Instruction to improve Internet connectivity for students, in response to COVID-19, by providing community and home mobile Internet access points. These funds are PRC 128.
These funds shall be used only for the purchase of devices and not for subscription services. All Public School Units are eligible to apply for these funds.
If your Public School Unit is interested in this opportunity, please complete this form 11:59 PM on Oct. 25, 2020(Extended).
These funds require an application. You will not be eligible to receive funding without completing the application. Funds allocated must be spent by December 30, 2020.
NCDIT has negotiated bundled pricing that includes 12-month subscriptions. Below are the pricing and contacts for ISP providers.
Verizon – Bundle price for 12 months is $222, excluding applicable taxes and surcharges, broken down as follows:
$60 per hotspot
$10/month unlimited data plan ($120)
$3.50/month Asavie Moda CIPA filtering ($42)
Contact – Jessica Roth, Jessica.roth@verizonwireless.com, 336-407-0050
AT&T – Bundle price for 12 months is $234.99, excluding applicable taxes and surcharges, broken down as follows:
$.99 per hotspot (Moxie) or $50 per hotspot (Unite)
$18.50/month unlimited data plan ($222)
$1/month CIPA filtering ($12)
Contact – Roxanne Gartland, rg8580@att.com, 919-760-7191
US Cellular – Bundle price for 12 months is $423.99, excluding applicable taxes and surcharges, broken down as follows:
$99.99 per hotspot
$300 unlimited data plan ($300)
$2/month CIPA filtering ($24)
Contact – Jeffrey Rothrock, Jeffery.rothrock@uscellular.com, 828-777-3633
T-Mobile (non-Project 10 Million) – Bundle price for 12 months is $240, excluding applicable taxes and surcharges, broken down as follows:
Free hotspot
$20/month unlimited data plan ($240)
CIPA filtering included
Contact
Robbie Austin, bobby.austin11@t-mobile.com, 984-220-6833
Heidi Vierkant, Heidi.vierkant1@t-mobile.com,
Lisa Cohen, Lisa.cohen@t-mobile.com, 919-889-5670
Kajeet – Bundle price for 12 months is $256.50, excluding applicable taxes and surcharges, broken down as follows:
Package includes hotspot, 12 months unlimited data, and CIPA filtering
**Note: The contract was for initial purchase made by the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources; Working on an amendment to allow LEAs to piggyback for the same pricing.
Contact – Michael Flood, mflood@kajeet.com, 678-656-7512
For any questions please contact:
North Carolina Session Law 2020-80 appropriated $2.5 million dollars in funding to the Department of Commerce for the implementation of the Plasma Games Pilot Program. Local School Administrative Units (LSAUs) participating in the program will incorporate Sci-Ops: Global Defense, the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) focused educational software program developed by Plasma Games, Inc., in select STEM classes and their CTE programs. This pilot program is a direct effort by the General Assembly and Governor to promote access to innovative digital and personalized learning solutions for high school students and encourage students to pursue further science coursework and careers.
The Office of Science, Technology & Innovation at the North Carolina Department of Commerce has been tasked with the administration of this pilot program. As required by the bill, the Office will provide payment to LSAUs to cover the cost of the program as authorized by Session Law 2002-80, section 4.2D(c).
This payment will fully reimburse the cost of each license up to the total $2.5 million allocated by the General Assembly.
Information on how to submit a payment request has been distributed to the Superintendents and Technology Officers of all LEAs. Visit this site, https://public.nccommerce.com/OSTI/, to funding. Contact your Digital Teaching & Learning Regional Consultant for your Unique School Code.
For Plasma Games professional learning opportunities, visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9NqXFaaWT9GujJ4S_BTLYQ.
Further questions pertaining to the logistics of the Plasma Games Pilot Program reimbursement can be directed to Dave Kaiser at the Office of Science, Technology & Innovation, North Carolina Department of Commerce (david.kaiser@nccommerce.com; 919-632-3597.)
T-Mobile has launched Project 10-Million to help close the homework gap and connect students who need it most; student households receiving free and reduced lunch. NC Student Connect, working with multiple government agencies, is helping to ensure all schools across North Carolina have the opportunity to take advantage of this program. NC Student Connect will work to pay for the unlimited data service plan for every device for a 12 month period if you apply for the devices through our streamlined, statewide process.
If you are interested in applying for this program, please download and fill out the P10M Application and send it to Lisa Cohen(Lisa.Cohen@t-mobile.com) please complete this application 11:59 PM on Oct. 14, 2020. If you aren’t able to complete the application by October 14, you may still be eligible to apply directly through T-Mobile at any time.
For any questions please contact:
Andy Miller - Special Advisor for NC Student Connect | 828-545-1778 | anderson.miller@osbm.nc.gov
The NC Student Connect Project has an additional opportunity for schools to install AT&T Cradle Point Access Points in school parking lots and in select community locations. We are collecting information on their behalf to help expedite the process. If your Public School Unit is interested in this opportunity, please complete this application 11:59 PM on Oct. 14, 2020:
These cradle points will be free to schools. The only cost the school would incur would be the cost to power the device which will have to be plugged into a regular power outlet to operate. The cradle point access points will be equipped with two sim card drives. If there is a provider who works in your area other than AT&T, then you could install the secondary sim card to provide coverage from that carrier. Additionally, these do have the option to be plugged into a fiber/hard-wired internet connection already existing in your building.
Filling out the application does not mean you will automatically receive funding or the full funding request. The NC Student Connect Team will be working with public school units to approve requests and coordinate installations.
For any questions please contact:
Andy Miller - Special Advisor for NC Student Connect | 828-545-1778 | anderson.miller@osbm.nc.gov
Chastan Swain - Program Analyst | NC Dept. of Natural & Cultural Resources | (336)340-5017 | chastan.swain@ncdcr.gov
