Knox County school board approves plan to buy 60,000 laptops with federal funding

Posted: May 13, 2020 / 06:34 PM EDT / Updated: May 14, 2020 / 08:12 AM EDT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A plan to provide a Chromebook or device for every student in Knox County Schools has been approved.

The Knox County Board of Education approved in a 8-1 vote the so-called 1:1 initiative in Wednesday night’s meeting. The move puts in motion the use of of CARES Act funding to purchase the devices.

The motion that was passed by the school board approves the use of $7 million in CARES Act funding to help purchase 60,000 Chromebooks or other devices over a two-year process to ensure the lifespan of the current devices in the school district’s inventory and to provide the board with purchase details as they arise.

BOE approves @KnoxSchools 1:1 initiative in 8-1 vote using $7M CARES dollars to help purchase 60k Chromebooks and other applicable devices over a multi-year process. Tony Norman dissented.
— Knox County Schools (@KnoxSchools) May 13, 2020