KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Families in the Kansas City, Kansas, Public School District will have additional options to meet the demands of a virtual education world.
On Tuesday, the KCKPS Board of Education approved a partnership with an internet service provider that will provide nearly 6,600 families free internet service.
Sharita Hutton, Director of Communications for the district, said the district has been listening to parents and students' needs.
"Even though we distributed hotspots at the beginning of this school year and also back in March when we had to move to remote learning we knew there were still issues with students being able to connect to the internet," Hutton said.
Hutton said the district conducted surveys and kept in touch with families about their needs to determine how many families needed the service.
The free service is only for families who did not previously have an internet service provider.
Not having adequate internet isn't the only connectivity problem parents are facing.
Sarah Herrera, a parent of five students in the district, has been battling hot spot difficulties since the beginning of the year. Part of the problem, Herrera says, is that her children have to share just one hot spot.
"It's just a bunch of craziness, and I don't see it getting any better," Herrera said. "I have one 8th grader that has probably now 40 absences because he can't get into his zoom meetings."
When asked about Herrara's situation, Hutton told 41 Action News there are more hotspots available for families who have multiple children or are struggling to connect.
The Spectrum service should be up and running by mid-October. Hutton said the service provider presented a plan to the school board Tuesday describing the simple installation process for parents.
The service will run through the end of December when the school board will re-evaluate students' needs.
There is currently no decision made about what to do with the deployed hotspots.
The school board also approved a plan Tuesday to allow gyms and large spaces in schools to be used by students who are having technical problems.
Students will be contacted by their school to make an appointment.
