Has your school district taken advantage of the U.S. government’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) program? We ask because those funds, broken into three installments, can help your team update its two-way radio communications network. Whether your students have been back in the classroom for a while, or they’re just now returning, it’s important to assess your radio needs so that in-person operations are as seamless as possible to keep your students safe.

ESSER Breakdown and Obligation Dates

As a quick refresher, the first installment of ESSER funds became available thanks to the CARES Act of 2020, and must be obligated by September 30 of this year. It’s important to note that they don’t need to be spent by that time, but they do have to be part of a purchase order in place that details how they will be applied.

As those are used, schools can then take advantage of two additional installments — ESSER II and ARP ESSER — with obligation dates of September 30, 2023 and September 30, 2024, respectively.

The purpose of these funds has been to help school districts finance upgrades that protect students against the COVID-19 pandemic, to include personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitizing supplies, and improved air ventilation, among others. They can even be used to enhance your communications network and emergency response, which is where RCA two-way radios shine.

DTWR Has RCA Units Approved for School Districts

Discount Two-Way Radio has been a proud supporter of schools across the U.S. for years by offering the following products and services:

(1) Best-in-class RCA handheld two-way radios and base stations that serve as the backbone of any effective communications network.

Not only can RCA compete with any brand on durability, coverage, emergency features, and performance, its units are compatible with any brand, while still maintaining a price point that’s at least 30 percent less.

(2) The ability to upgrade a communications network from analog to digital.

This can either be performed as a single upgrade by replacing all of your analog radios, or through a transitional process that involves purchasing small batches of mixed mode radios that offer analog and digital compatibility.

(3) Replacement batteries for a variety of two-way radio brands.

In spite of current supply chain issues, we have plenty of radio batteries in stock and available to ship as early as the day they’re ordered.

(4) Repair services for any brand of two-way radio.

We offer a simple repair process regardless of how many (or few) radios you need to have fixed. We don’t require a minimum number of units to process those repairs, and we won’t take months at a time to get them back to you like some of our competitors.

We’re even offering the following deal to those of you who have damaged Motorola or Kenwood radios: send in three, only pay us to fix two.

Or, if you’d rather get credit toward new, top-of-the-line RCA models, trade in your old two-way radios from any other brand.

DTWR’s Emergency Response Guide

It should come as no surprise that two-way radios will be critical for schools as enrollment surpasses 55 million students by 2026. That’s why DTWR has put together our Official School Emergency Planning Guide as a free resource for your team. You can download your copy here.

If you have questions about any of the material above, or are looking for guidance on the best radio models to fit your school district’s needs, we’re standing by to help. Give us a call today at 877-660-2298 to speak with a member of our award-winning customer support team.