Schools have undergone tremendous changes in how students learn these last few years. To maintain a high standard for learning in the classroom and out, school district leaders must continue to expand the digital learning infrastructure on their campuses. Federal funding through the Emergency Connectivity Fund has provided the funding for many digital ecosystem projects.
Creating Your School’s Digital Ecosystem
Digital ecosystems for schools have grown past simply providing a Wi-Fi connection in classrooms. School districts across the country have invested in hardware and connectivity infrastructure that allows students, faculty, and staff to learn and work wherever they are on your campus, including on buses. Providing durable devices and robust Wi-Fi doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive with expert help from eSquared.
In the last few years, school districts have invested in upgrades to their digital ecosystems. Many schools now have updated Wi-Fi networks that improve speed and reliability. This helps schools accommodate additional devices that would otherwise cause disruption within the network. eSquared offers Wi-Fi solutions that can cover up to 12 acres with a 5G connection. Our solutions start at just $0.01 per square foot.
Did Your School Provide Devices to Students for Remote Learning During the Pandemic?
If so, you know that those devices aren’t going anywhere. Procuring, kitting, and managing those devices is a complicated responsibility, especially if your IT department is responsible for managing multiple sites. eSquared can be your outsourced partner for sourcing and kitting devices, including tablets and Chromebooks. Some devices start at just $123 per device. Our team also provides 24/7 support to students, parents, and staff to fix any issues that may arise.
Schools are expanding their digital ecosystems to include Wi-Fi on school buses. This allows students to complete schoolwork while they’re traveling to and from school or on a field trip. Since adding Wi-Fi to school buses turns them into mobile hotspots, your investment in bus connectivity can also improve Wi-Fi access to your community over breaks and summer vacation.
eSquared has partnered with industry leader Cradlepoint to offer bus Wi-Fi connectivity. Our solutions use wireless WAN, a technology that uses 5G and LTE networks to create Wi-Fi hotspots wherever they are needed, including school buses.
Emergency Connectivity Fund Money Still Available
Investing in upgrades to your school’s digital infrastructure can be more affordable with help from the federal Emergency Connectivity Fund. This $7.17 billion program is available to help schools and libraries set up their remote learning infrastructure. This includes Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, and routers for school campuses and remote use, such as on school buses. The Emergency Connectivity Fund can also cover the costs of replacing, adding, and updating your school’s tablets and laptops.
The third round of applications to the Emergency Connectivity Fund closed on May 13, 2022. Money from this round of funding will be applied to infrastructure and equipment investments between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. If you applied for Emergency Connectivity Fund money, eSquared can help you identify the devices and connectivity infrastructure that will provide fast, reliable Wi-Fi on your school campuses.
Get in touch with eSquared today to build your school’s digital ecosystem and create a plan for your Emergency Connectivity Fund money.
