65% of our students and staff currently lack adequate internet access

Did you know that 65% of our students and staff currently lack adequate internet access to power their daily work in our schools?

Back in 2019, the FCC recommended a minimum of 1 Mbps per student, but here's the catch: 13 of our schools are still using Cat 5 wiring, which maxes out at 100 Mbps. That means there's enough bandwidth for just 100 students. When this wiring was installed, classrooms had an average of 2-3 devices connected. Fast forward 20 years, and now there are 2-3 devices per person in need of connection.

A Capital Levy will be included on the February 13th special election ballot to address this critical issue. A portion of the funds generated from this levy will be used to upgrade our internet technology! This would mean smoother learning experiences, efficient completion of assignments, and seamless assessments without the hassle of dropped or sluggish internet service. Teachers would be able to focus more on teaching and less on waiting for their computers to catch up.

And here's a jaw-dropping fact for you: the average Washington state home enjoys a whopping 450Mbps internet service. In contrast, our 13 schools with Cat 5 wiring have only 1/4 of that bandwidth, serving hundreds of students and staff.

To learn more about the proposed Capital Levy on the Feb. 13th special election ballot, visit http://www.puyallupsd.org/levy.

The district is currently only addressing the most critical projects that impact the delivery of instruction or health and safety due to a capital projects budget that is projected to be depleted by 2026. For more information about our capital budget, the budget responsible for major maintenance, renovation, and construction projects, visit http://www.puyallupsd.org/capitalbudget