School News

Cash to flow to schools for technology

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Local school districts will qualify for about $7.6 million in funding for technology and building upgrades, following voter approval of the Smart Schools Bond Act last month.

On Election Day, New York State voters authorized the borrowing of up to $2 billion by the state for local school districts to provide access to classroom technology and high-speed Internet. The money can also be used to add classroom space to expand pre-K programs, or to install high-tech security features.

The Seaford School District’s allocation would be about $1.1 million. Superintendent Brian Conboy said the district is definitely interest in accepting this money. “We’ll pursue it with earnest,” he said.

Conboy said that Seaford’s interest would be using the money to upgrade technology, and the district would likely have to put a plan together for the state. He added that administrators and the Board of Education would have to discuss the specific needs of the district.

While the district has replaced computers and added more interactive white boards in recent years, Conboy said the district could easily use up the allocation to further boost its instructional technology resources. He noted that districts constantly have to replace hardware to remain cutting edge. “What’s new today,” he said, “becomes old very, very quickly.”

Wantagh would get nearly $1.6 million from the state. “We welcome the opportunity to receive funding from the voter-approved New York State Smart School Bond Act,” said Superintendent Maureen Goldberg. “At this time, we are awaiting guidance from the State Education Department regarding criteria and implementation.”

The biggest of the three local districts, Levittown, would get about $4.9 million. The district has 11 public schools and serves North Wantagh and part of northern Seaford. Superintendent Dr. Tonie McDonald said that the district is still waiting for clarification from the state regarding the particulars of the bond. She said that this guidance is expected to come soon from the state Education Department.

The proposition was supported by about 62 percent of voters in Nassau County.