$20K in funding goes to five Idaho schools

The Idaho State Department of Education awarded $19,294 in federal grant funding to help five Idaho school districts purchase new technology equipment.

Five school districts, Castleford, Lake Pend Oreille, Salmon, St. Maries and St. Paul’s Catholic School received more than $3,000 each to purchase new technology components for its food service departments. This funding was allocated for districts participating in the National School Lunch Program, administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Here in Idaho, we work hard to make sure our students and our schools are getting as much funding as they possibly can,” said Idaho State Department of Education Community Specialist Brady Moore. “They needed grants to really modernize and get up to par with some of the surrounding districts around them and it’s a great opportunity for them to get that new technology. “

The grants were awarded through a competitive application process. Districts with 50 percent or more students on free and reduced-price lunch received the highest priority. A selection committee also looked at the level of need, the age and condition of the school’s current technology devices, including hardware and software, and other factors such as fund balances and compliance with USDA regulations.