Click play to listen to this article.

Across Texas, 63 schools are participating in a Parent Teacher Association digital literacy program known as "PTA Connected: Ready, Tech, Go!."

The program, supported by AT&T and the National PTA, provides students with laptops, and parents and caregivers with skills they need to ensure their children are safe online.

Ruben De La Paz, PTA president at Eduardo Mata Montessori in Dallas, which is part of the program, said many parents don't know how to talk with their children about technology.

Image

"Whether it be talking about online bullying, things to look out for, what are things we should stay away from," De La Paz outlined. "We really don't have a guide on what age our kid is appropriate, and I think being able to walk us through the things that we should look out for as parents is a huge advantage."

Mata Montessori is a dual language Title I school, where 75 percent of the students have Spanish as their first language.

The goal of the program is to help address the digital divide by making the internet accessible to more students. Families involved complete a Phone Ready Quiz created in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

De La Paz noted in addition to helping kids use technology for educational purposes, they teach them to be safe online.

"Being able to meet them where they are and being practical," De La Paz emphasized. "Making sure that they know also what to look out for. And then I think also not instilling fear or shame in kids is super huge and letting them know that it's OK to come forward when you see something."

Across the country, 350 local PTAs were selected for the program.