WHAT?

Spokane Public Schools (SPS) in partnership with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) are providing refurbished Gateway computers and training to SPS students who do not have a home computer. The computers are older, but still in good condition for home use. They are Celeron 400-566 Mhz processors, systems loaded with Microsoft Windows98, an office suite, and educational games. A monitor, keyboard, mouse and floppy disk will be included.

New to the program in January, 2006, dial-up modems will be added. A standard dialup internet account will be made available to families at a reduced $6.95/month fee with a local Internet Service Provider, WebBand.

WHO?

Spokane area DSHS Community Service Offices (CSOs) will screen TANF/low-income families for the refurbished computer eligibility. The surplus computer distribution requirements include: 1) having children enrolled in K-12 schools; 2) no functioning computer currently in the home; 3) will be used as an instructional tool for educational purposes; and 4) recipients must be low-income or receiving temporary assistance (TANF) through Washington State's WorkFirst initiative. It is highly recommended that all families be in compliance with the WorkFirst program.

WHY?

Spokane Public Schools desires to provide equal learning opportunities to K-12 students. We hope to accomplish this goal while also developing our leadership and training skills in our high school students who currently are enrolled in our computer repair classes. Additional volunteer positions will also become available as the program continues to expand with new opportunities. We're hoping to work with our Career & Technical Education marketing classes, photography classes, and teaching academy classes. In order to be good stewards of our technology resources, we chose to reuse the computers in homes for instructional purposes.

HOW?

TANF/low-income youth/families will be identified/contacted by the DSHS's Community Service Offices. A preliminary program participation meeting (one-on-one with the caseworker) will be held at the CSO for the families identified and screened for program participation. A complete TEConnections program overview with be explained including all of the program components and participant expectations/requirements. Eligible families and youth will be given release of information forms complying with confidentiality issues to sign at these preliminary meetings. Once applications have been completed, families will be contacted and referred to one of the distribution centers.

WHERE?

The computer distributions will take place at one of the three following schools: Havermale, Lewis & Clark or Rogers High Schools for the TEConnections Orientation Training. Directions will be provided when families are notified of acceptance into the program by DSHS.