Santa Rita Union School District to roll out Verizon internet-connected devices.

Middle school students in Santa Rita Union School District will receive internet-connected devices from Verizon Innovative Learning Schools (VILS) on Tuesday, Aug. 18. 

The initiative is a partnership bewteen the school district, VILS and Digital Promise, a nonprofit focused on speeding up educational innovation. VILS provides devices, internet access and support to students and teachers at no charge to schools. 

The idea is to provide internet access to students inside and outside the classroom. 

“Students across Gavilan and John Gutierrez middle schools are walking into the school year with devices in hand. That's what Verizon Innovative Learning Schools is built to do: put technology directly into students' hands and support the teachers who bring it to life in the classroom,” Christine Keener, Verizon's director of state and local government affairs, said in a press release. 

In total, 1,230 devices with data plans will be distributed to middle school students at the two middle schools. These two campuses are among 33 schools that have joined VILS for the current school year. In total, the program is now in nearly 700 schools. On average, VILS invests $2.3 million per school.  

Other local school districts have shown interest in VILS. Greenfield Union School District has been part of VILS since the 2024-2025 school year, and it has been a success, according to Superintendent Laura Cortez. 

At Salinas Union High School District, the program didn’t move forward in March after it received criticism from educators who were concerned about privacy policies and parental control.