More than 25,000 Mac and iPad devices will go to 11 Louisiana organizations under approximately $18 million in ÉTOUFFÉE awards announced by Gov. Jeff Landry and ConnectLA on November 10.
The program pairs access to equipment with free digital skills instruction. Participating organizations can use the devices for lending programs, public computer labs and services supporting education, employment or health care, according to the state broadband office.
The Louisiana Community and Technical College System is the largest recipient, with about 13,000 devices. It plans to expand distance learning for people in 10 parishes that do not have an adult education site. Learners without computers would receive access to equipment and help using it to attend classes, finish assignments and seek work.
The awards address a separate obstacle from internet availability: having a usable device and knowing how to use it. ConnectLA says instruction will support online coursework, job applications and telehealth appointments. Local staff will also receive training on accessibility features, including screen readers, magnification and voice controls.
Recipients include Bastion Veterans Wellness Center, Franklin Parish, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, Pointe Coupée Parish, Savoy Medical, Southeastern Louisiana University, Southern University and A&M College, Southern University at New Orleans, the Town of St. Joseph, the Town of White Castle and West Ascension Parish Hospital.
ConnectLA is administering the program with money from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund, working with Apple, SHI and Louisiana’s Office of Technology Services. Participating organizations will track equipment use and report results.
The announcement, made in Alexandria at the Louisiana Digital Skills and Technology Summit, does not give a public distribution timetable or instructions for residents to obtain a device. The awards are to participating organizations; the release describes lending and shared access rather than promising individual ownership.