Government Grants

For over last 30 years, a very significant educational aid being used in classrooms, in addition to the conventional writing boards and projectors, is the computer. Using computers in classrooms enables teachers to bring in innovative learning techniques and is an effective way for them to deliver instructions. Getting computers to classrooms means a lot of expense to the school. To ease this pressure, federal government grants for school computers are provided to schools by the Department of Education. These grants help schools shoulder the high price of using computers for education in classrooms.

Star Schools Program

Educational projects involving the use of technology for distance learning for the purpose of delivering instructions are the focus of this program. The beneficiary schools and educational organizations that are funded under this program, use the grant money to purchase computers and other technology apparatus for schooling purpose. This money can also be used to write software programs for delivering instructions and organize educational sessions for students and their families. The only condition is that the Star Schools Program funds must be used necessarily to help the financially weak classes of society, such as the poor and physically disabled, and also people who have inadequate knowledge of the English language.

Rural and Low-Income School Program

This grant program financially aids public schools in rural areas to enable them to attain the required level of AYP or Adequate Yearly Progress. The activities that are allowed and eligible for help as a part of this program are purchasing hardware and software components of a computer which would help these schools comply with the technology requisites mandated by the federal government.

‘Enhancing Education Through Technology’ Program

The prior most objective of this grant program is to achieve technological literacy amongst all students long before they begin high school education and to make technology an inseparable feature of the curriculum of the school. The beneficiary schools under this program can purchase computers and supplementary hardware and software components. Some educational institutes receiving this government grants may decide to use a major portion of the funds for procuring computers for only those campus locations which have a greater technology requirement. Title II of the “No Child Left Behind Act’ of 2001 by the federal government, funds the ‘Enhancing Education Through Technology’ Program, which is regarded as a prominent government source of technology funds for education. The amount of money issued by this program averages almost 300 Million USD every year. These funds are administered to the educational agencies in the state, who subsequently allocate them to schools in various districts.

Being technologically sound and literate has become the need of the hour for every US citizen, considering the advent of technology in every walk of life. The best place to start the necessary education is the schools, where minds of students are fresh and receptive to the skills being taught. Just as the US federal government provides help to students in the form of school grants, college grants and grants for school uniforms towards acquiring quality education, it also administers grants to helps schools procure computers so that America’s young generation can be technologically sound and well-equipped with the necessary knowledge.

 

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