The districts are distributing the devices to students who have said they need one. The effort to loan out laptops and tablets will continue into this week, as districts prepare to start distance learning for all students April 13.
Springfield and Eugene school districts started with a first round of device handouts to high school students Friday.
Springfield passed laptops out to high school students in need at two school sites. Families picked them up by driving through the parking lot in an effort to maintain social distancing.
This week, on Monday and Tuesday, the district will distribute tablets to students in grades two through eight. Wednesday will be for families of kindergarten and first graders to pick up devices, along with any other families from other grades who have yet to pick up.
"Our goal is to make sure that everybody who needs a tool has a tool," spokesperson Jen McCulley said. Families with expressed need will be contacted by the district directly.
That said, the district is encouraging families who have yet to sign up to fill out the technology survey, which can be found on the district website, or contact the district via email at askSPS@springfield.k12.or.us or by phone at 541-726-3331.
On Friday, Eugene School District (4J) loaned laptops out to "several hundred" high school students, according to spokesperson Kerry Delf.
4J also plans to start distributing tablets to elementary and middle school families this week, and any other families who are late in saying they need a device.
"We know there are still some families who will not have gotten that message ... and we're continuing to work through that," Delf said.
There also is information on the district's website about different internet options for families, including those who qualify for free and reduced price lunch or rely on other government benefits such as SNAP.
The district also is in the process of acquiring hotspots to loan out to some families without connectivity, but those are not available yet.
People can contact the district about technology and online access needs by phone at 541-790-7530 (English) or 541-790-7531 (Spanish).
Bethel School District also will start distributing devices to families who have said they have the need this week.
"We conducted phone calls and surveying and some families indicated that they needed a device," Curriculum Director Kee Zublin said. "We will be reaching out to those families to let them know what our schedule is for handing out devices."
The district plans to provide Chromebooks, but right now devices will only go to students in grades six through 12. Bethel still is trying to determine whether it has the capacity to provide devices to students in younger grades, Zublin said.
It will start handing out the Chromebooks on Wednesday so students can have those in-hand by the end of the week.
There also are options for families who don't have internet.
"We will be communicating with them about some potential strategies they can use to try to get internet," Zublin said. "We will do our best to support families through that."
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