Polk County schools are issuing digital devices for students to take home during the school year.

What You Need To Know

  • Polk County schools will send students home with an iPad or a laptop

  • The county applied for the grant earlier, but it came through to fund the program this year

  • Local families are happy to get the technology that the students need

The district applied for a $28 million grant under the previous superintendent, Jackie Bird to make this happen.

The one-to-one technology program was announced by the current superintendent, Frederick Heid. The new initiative will send elementary and post-secondary students’ home with an iPad or laptop. This change is one that parents, like Brandon Moore in Winter Haven, say can change entire communities.

“I’m a big advocate for literacy,” said Moore. “If our children can have access to material to read, I think they would become a lot more informative; we’re in the age of the headphone generation.”

Heid said some students have already received their devices. This is a move that the district says will also help disabled students and those who speak English as a secondary language.

“I think it’s great that he’s giving all kids a chance,” said Moore. “It feels balanced but I want my kids to have direction.”

Moore said he has hopes that school instructors will also send kids home with lesson plans that will incorporate their new devices.

The district will put a block on the iPad and laptops to prevent students from going on social media or YouTube.