Non-profit group donates 3,200 computer monitors to support SF teachers in distance learning

As distance learning has resumed in the new year for San Francisco Unified School District schools, the district announced on Tuesday it is partnering with a non-profit organization to help further support its teachers.

The Seattle-based Two Screens for Teachers will provide the district with 3,200 free computer monitors for teachers to use as a second screen, in order to help teachers better manage their online curriculums and potentially increase their productivity.

The gift is valued at $360,000, district officials said.

Two Screens for Teachers co-founder Matt Lerner said in a statement:

“A second monitor helps teachers and students immediately during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s scalable and costs less than $5 per student. We’re looking for leaders in the tech community to step up and help teachers start 2021 strong with the gift of a second computer monitor.”

SFUSD Superintendent Vincent Matthews said:

“We appreciate that teachers will now have access to additional resources to further connect with their students virtually.”

To receive an extra monitor, teachers can simply fill out an online form at the Two Screens for Teachers website and a monitor will be ordered by the organization and shipped to the teacher’s home at no cost.

Tenderloin Community School teacher Kathy Szatkwoski said:

“As a special education teacher providing solely virtual instruction, a second screen has been such a game changer. It’s so amazing to be able to see my kiddos’ reactions while we’re learning something new.”

Two Screens for Teachers was founded just four months ago and has since provided more than 20,000 monitors to teachers and the organization is currently working on sending monitors to 165,000 more teachers.