Queens Borough President Melinda Katz last Friday announced an allocation of over $5 million of her Fiscal Year 2016 discretionary capital funds to provide tech devices to public elementary and middle schools in the borough.
Nearly half of the public elementary and intermediate schools in Queens will receive some funding as part of a $5,145,000 allocation from Katz’s portion of the FY 2016 Capital Budget toward the purchase of SMART Boards and laptops. Next year, as part of the FY 2017 Capital Budget, Katz said she plans to use additional funds to provide tech money to all of the Queens public elementary and intermediate schools that were not included in this year’s round of funding.
“Education is the Number 1 economic investment we can make for our families, thereby for the future of Queens,” Katz said. “By September 2016, it is my intent to equip all public elementary and middle schools in Queens with these up-to-date instructional tech tools in the classroom. These resources will help elevate our great Queens schools to even higher standards and ensure that our kids remain globally competitive in the 21st Century.”
The allocation for tech upgrades breaks down as follows: at least $35,000 each to 95 elementary schools for the purchase of interactive SMART Boards; at least $35,000 each to 38 middle schools for the purchase of laptops for in-school student use; $35,000 for assistive learning devices at PS 9 Walter Reed School; $35,000 for the purchase of iMac desktop computers at PS 255 in Kew Gardens; $70,000 for a stationary classroom/library technology environment at PS/MS 105 in the Rockaways; and two $70,000 allotments for upgrades to computer labs at PS 82 in Jamaica and PS 164 in Kew Gardens.
By Forum Staff
