Inyo COE receives federal grant to expand distance learning

Installing video conferencing software around the county will improve equitable access

A federal grant will help rural Inyo County students upgrade classrooms to elevate student learning. The $700,000 Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will support the Inyo County Office of Education in advancing educational access and equity in local rural and frontier communities by funding the initiative, Inyo LinkEd: Empowering Rural Education Opportunities.

The dollars will be used to expand high-quality video conferencing classrooms throughout the county, according to COE officials. “The initiative will improve access to instruction, special education services, mental health meetings and professional development — regardless of geographic isolation,” a press release states.

“It all gets at improving academic access and academic success,” said Superintendent Barry Simpson.

Beginning this summer, over the period of about a year and a half, “advanced videoconferencing and interactive classroom technology” will be rolled out at dozens of locations.

Barry Simpson, Inyo COE superintendent

It’s already being utilized for the COE’s Adult Education Program, with educators lauding the experience and its outcomes. Simpson said that even though individuals don’t attend in person, real connections are made, and students and teachers find engagement and confidence through their interactions.

“There’s a two-way capacity to communicate, and if you have the right kind of staff teaching courses, you are able to do one-on-one check-ins with the students,” Simpson said. “Even though it’s remote, there’s two large screens, so the people are right there and you’re talking back and forth. This technology has gotten to the point where I believe that you can create connections even through video because of it being so good.”

It also provides the ability to share teachers and expand academic offerings across sites and counties.

Making a difference

As it covers aspects of distance learning and telehealth, Simpson explained that the grant felt like it was written specifically for Inyo COE. The first DLT grant awarded to schools within the county will aid in closing the distance gap, which is further complicated by difficult terrain. “Our school districts are quite far apart. There’s 350 miles from our most northern school district out to Death Valley, our most southern,” Simpson said. “This gives a greater level of access to our students and staff.”

Specifically, the technology will help facilitate distance learning courses; speech, occupational and adaptive physical education therapy; individualized education program (IEP) and student support meetings; professional development and credential support; and mental health and wellness services.

Simpson noted that having remote professional development will cut down on time commitments and costs.

Heather Carr, director of the Inyo County Special Education Local Plan Area, noted that given the county’s logistics, the COE must rely on virtual providers to meet many student needs, including mental health counseling, IEPs and designated instruction and services for those in special education. “Having those Zoom rooms provides the equitable access for students and supports continuity of services,” Carr said, adding that the rooms are user-friendly.

According to the COE, five sites that will benefit from the rooms are in “communities ranked in the highest distress tier of the national Distressed Communities Index. The grant directly supports students from rural, low-income, and high-risk populations who historically have had limited access to educational services.”

Simpson reiterated that geography shouldn’t impact the quality of a student’s education.

“This project ensures that a student in Death Valley or Round Valley has access to the same expertise and opportunities as a student in a large urban district,” Simpson said in the press release announcing the grant award. “This isn’t just an investment in equipment — it’s an investment in opportunity, retention of educators, mental health support and the future of rural education in Inyo County. We are incredibly grateful to the USDA for believing in our students and our communities.”