Chester County School District receives 100 donated tablets to help students get online

An online university has donated 100 tablets to the Chester County School District to help students get online.

Independence University, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, refurbished tablets from former students, said Andy Cupp, the university’s public relations director.

The tablets arrived last Tuesday and are being prepared to be distributed, CCSD Public Information officer Chris Christoff confirmed.

“This year has been an unprecedented and difficult situation for many families. We’re confident that any assistance we or others can provide will help ease some of these burdens,” Christoff said.

The district will identify families who most need the tablets, especially those enrolled in online school.

Chester launched its virtual academy this year, offering an alternative to families during the coronavirus pandemic.

At the time, Superintendent Antwon Sutton was concerned about technology barriers in Chester, where 78.8% of CCSD students live in poverty.

In August, Sutton told the Herald he was “still concerned about access,” and worried that students would fall behind. He made it one of his goals to help families get connected so students could attend school online.

Since then, state programs have helped the district get internet connection for families who need it. The CARES Act helped Chester get almost 1,000 families connected through hotspots and wired connections, the Herald reported.

This most recent donation will help continue Sutton’s mission.

Dr. Alan Hansen, the Executive Director of Independence University, said donating the tablets was part of the university’s mission to help districts like CCSD, which are transitioning online due to coronavirus.

“We are aware that technology, and specifically tablets, can make a huge difference in the educational performance for students who are participating in virtual learning,” says Hansen. “We are grateful to be in a position where we can help these young students in some measure, especially during this pandemic.”

This story was originally published November 16, 2020 at 4:44 PM.