Good news for families with kids attending Belton ISD. The board of Trustees voted to waive the technology fee and to cancel more that $40,000 of debt from the 2019-2020 school year.

The move comes as a way to help families who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Board president Suzanne M. McDonald tells KCEN, "Families continue to be impacted by COVID-19 in different ways, and the economic hardships currently being felt by some in our community are heavy on our hearts and minds. There are so many things to worry about. If this small but tangible action helps eliminate a worry for those facing hardships in our community, it’s worth doing.”

Waiving the technology fee alone will save families more than $240,000 over the 2020-2021 school year.

The $40,000 of debt from the 2019-2020 school year they cancelled was from the debt accumulated from meal charges, ID replacement fees, and costs to replace/repair missing or damaged technology equipment.

Belton ISD Superintendent Matt Smith also gave an update as the district continues to plan for the opening of schools on August 19.

"Since Thursday we’ve received more than 6,500 responses, which represents almost half of the district’s anticipated enrollment of 12,200 students,” Smith said. “We’re continuing to seek feedback from parents and staff through virtual events scheduled for later this week.”

Belton ISD plans to release a comprehensive response plan by Friday, July 24.

In a media release issued last week, Belton ISD officials outlined steps they've already taken, including making sure they have enough Chromebooks and iPads to distribute to students in need. You can read the full release here.

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