Houlton’s school district has received $1 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
John Butera, the USDA Rural Development Maine state director, visited Houlton Monday to announce the funding.
The funds will go to RSU 29’s Region Two School of Applied Technology to buy networking equipment, simulators and laptops that will extend remote learning to 12 sites in Aroostook, Penobscot and Washington counties, according to the USDA.
The money comes from the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program and will reach 3,331 students in the Houlton area and beyond for coursework in career and technical education, USDA officials said in a release.
“USDA Rural Development Maine is proud to help expand access to quality learning opportunities for students across rural Maine through this important funding. When rural students are given the tools they need to learn and succeed, they carry that success back home and into their local workforce, strengthening their families, their futures, and the communities that make rural Maine such a special place,” Butera said.