The Bibb County School District is moving forward with its one-to-one technology initiative – one of the key items approved by voters in the 2020 Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST). As part of this one-to-one initiative, the District has ordered enough laptops or electronic devices for each student to use at school and/or at home. This initiative directly aligns with District’s mission of educating each student for a 21st century global society. At this time, the District has made no decision regarding a plan for in-person or virtual learning when classes start on Tuesday, September 8.

The District will begin issuing about 13,000 electronic devices for the 2020-2021 school year next week, August 17-21, for those students who currently do not have access to a device at home. Electronic devices will be distributed each day from 9 a.m.-noon and 3-6 p.m. Devices will be issued to students in the second through 12th grades who do not have access to a device at home, including students who have elected the remote learning option, with priority given to those who previously expressed need for a device last spring. Students who currently have access to a device at home are asked to wait to check out a District device until the remaining devices arrive in late October or early November. These students will be issued a District device at that time.

The schedule for device distribution will be as follows:

• Monday, August 17 – Students with last names starting with A-G

• Tuesday, August 18 – Students with last names starting with H-P

• Wednesday, August 19 – Students with last names starting with Q-Z

• Thursday, August 20 – Makeup day for all students

• Friday, August 21 – Makeup day for all students

Students who have not returned devices that were previously checked out will not be allowed to check out a new device. Upon arrival at the school where the student is currently enrolled, only one parent or guardian will need to be present with the student with identification to sign the Student Device Agreement. Everyone visiting a school will be asked to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

The 2020 ESPLOST is a one percent sales tax approved by voters in November 2019. Sales tax collections will begin on January 1, 2021. In order to move forward with the one-to-one initiative sooner due to COVID-19, the Board of Education approved bonds in July that allowed the District to begin purchasing and distributing equipment. Doing so will ensure all students throughout the District have equitable access to technology for the 2020-2021 school year and beyond.