Central Consolidated Schools receives wireless policy grant
Reported byTri City Record
Read the full story at Tri City RecordAI-assisted summary
Central Consolidated Schools in New Mexico is among 33 recipients of a state grant tied to rules on student phone and device use. The award, worth $29,573.26, comes from the Connect New Mexico Wireless Communication Device Policy Implementation Grant Program, run by the state's Office of Broadband Access and Expansion. The office says it sent the award notice on Oct. 2, 2026. It received 39 applications.
According to a district spokesman, the money will pay for seven routers that replace older equipment at seven schools: Ojo Amarillo Elementary, Shiprock High, Nizhoni Elementary, Mesa Elementary, Naschitti Elementary, Newcomb High and Kirtland Central High. He says the placement is meant to help all 15 district schools, strengthen the network and add security. He also says the routers provide network controls needed to carry out the district's policy limiting personal device use during class, and that they would support an artificial intelligence policy the district has begun developing, once it is passed.
The grant program was created with the Public Education Department to reduce screen time during class. A 2025 state law requires every district and charter school to adopt and enforce such a policy, with exceptions for medical needs and emergencies. The department will oversee the policies, and the broadband office says it plans a second funding round.
Why it matters
The grant shows how a state law limiting student device use is being paired with funding for school network upgrades. Families and staff can see how one district plans to enforce its policy, and taxpayers can see how a small state grant is being applied.
- Cellphone restrictions
- Technology contracts
- Artificial intelligence
- State funding formula
- Board policy
Written with AI from the publisher's article and may contain errors. The original reporting is the authoritative source.
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- How should a district judge whether network controls and device policies actually help students focus in class?
- What should families and teachers know about how a district's device policy and its planned AI policy will work together?
- What factors should districts weigh when applying for state grants tied to new policy requirements?
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