On March 5, 2025, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced up to $300,000 is available through the Keystone Telepresence Grant Program for intermediate units (IUs) for equipment and services to help educate students who are at home recovering from serious medical conditions, up to $30,000 per IU.

“All learners in Pennsylvania deserve to be able to access the world-class education offered in the Commonwealth, despite extenuating circumstances in their lives,” said Acting Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe. “Reducing barriers for students who aren’t physically able to travel to their school buildings is just one way we can support learners who may otherwise be prevented from accessing the important learning that takes place each and every day.”

Intermediate units can use the grants to purchase audio and video equipment. An IU’s member school districts can then borrow the equipment and place it within the homes of students who are recovering from an accident or medical procedure or are experiencing a serious or chronic illness. The equipment enables students to participate in daily educational activities with their classmates and teachers in real time. IUs can also use the funds to train personnel on how to use the equipment.

An intermediate unit that purchases telepresence equipment with a grant may not charge a public school or nonpublic school within the intermediate unit for the use of the telepresence equipment or related services when the equipment is used to support the educational needs of students.

To receive reimbursement for grant related activities, all awardees will be required to submit invoices to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The Keystone Telepresence Grant covers the expenditures incurred within the timeframe of the grant period, which consists of only one year. Intermediate Units will only receive reimbursement for the one-year period of the grant, regarding any service contract with a vendor, regardless of the length of the contract.

IUs interested in applying must apply through the eGrants system beginning now until March 14, 2024. Awarded grant funding will run to the end of the fiscal year.

Click here to access the press release.