Learning.com
NC's K-8 Digital Literacy Initiative Solution
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) has partnered with Learning.com to improve digital literacy across the state! This partnership, now in year five (2023-2024) is designed to encourage student growth in computational thinking, digital citizenship and online safety, visual mapping, databases and computer fundamentals.
Local education agencies (LEAs), charter schools, lab schools and innovative school district (ISD) schools within the most economically distressed counties (as determined by the North Carolina Department of Commerce Tier One designation) were surveyed and will receive funding based on the survey responses and the DIGITAL LEARNING INITIATIVE (DLI):DIGITAL LITERACY SOLUTION policy for implementation and adoption support found in the 2022-2023 Allotment Policy Manual. All funding-eligible LEAs and charter schools within Tier 1 counties must work with Learning.com to complete contracts for the 2023-2024 school year.
All other North Carolina LEAs and schools may choose to leverage the cooperative purchasing agreement via convenience contract with statewide negotiated terms and pricing ($7.96 per student or $3,395 per site license). Please see the table below for projected allotments and visit the FAQs for answers to general questions. Note: All LEAs and charter schools will work directly with Learning.com to execute local contracts (whether they are eligible to receive funding or not) by contacting Kim von Paternos at kvonpaternos@learning.com.
Tier 1 Subsidy and Convenience Contract Overview
| Tier 1 Subsidy - Year 5 Allotment | Non-Tier 1 Convenience Contract | |
|---|---|---|
| Projected Date | Summer/Fall 2023 | School Year 2023-2024 |
| Projected Amount |
At Least $7.96* per estimated K-8 student licenses requested (*based on proportional distribution of available funds – may be larger depending on # of districts signing local contracts) |
Convenience Contract Pricing of $7.96 per student or $3,395 per building/site license. |
| Contract Period | Contact State Vendor Summer/Fall 2023 -contract to use funds allocated for student licenses for the 2023-24 school year. | 2023-24 school year - Contact State Vendor |
| Eligibility | LEAs, charter schools, and ISD schools, within economically distressed counties (Tier 1), that have executed local convenience contracts based on the K-8 digital literacy solution statewide Cooperative Purchasing Agreement. | LEAs, charter schools, and ISD schools, within non-Tier 1 districts, that have executed local convenience contracts based on the K-8 digital literacy solution statewide Cooperative Purchasing Agreement. |
| Allowable Use of Funds | SPECIAL PROVISION: 1) Funds shall only be used for software licenses from the vendor selected via the competitive procurement process. 2) Use of funds is subject to audit to ensure that purchased licenses are utilized by the public school unit. Unutilized purchased licenses are subject to a refund to the State. 3) Allocations that are not expended for licenses by November 30 of the fiscal year shall revert to DPI and utilized for implementation of the State’s Digital Learning Plan. 4) Funds for charter schools shall be allotted in PRC 036 and for ISD in PRC 044. 5) Funds for the Renewal School System, if eligible, shall be allotted in PRC 037. Funds are not eligible for carryover. |
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