The Placer County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an $80,000 grant that will be used for technology upgrades in the Western Placer Unified School District. The grant is 10 percent of an $800,000 Community Development Block Grant that was awarded to the County for 2010.

The $80,000 grant will be used as part of the Sheridan School-to-Home Technology Programs for qualified, low-income students.

The larger, $800,000 grant consists of three parts: $280,000 for Housing Rehabilitation Assistance; $380,000 for water system improvements and the technology program.

“Using these funds to improve the technological skills of low-income students will benefit not only the community but also the entire region and state,” said Supervisor Robert Weygandt, whose Second District includes rural Sheridan. “The recent upgrades to the area’s wastewater treatment capabilities, coupled with both the water system improvement portion of this grant and the housing assistance are a huge step forward for the Sheridan area.”

Community Development Block Grants are federal funds that are passed into the community through the County. The grant includes a $60,000 administrative fee. There is no fiscal affect to the County’s General Fund.

Those students who are given the use of computers by the school will be able to download textbooks, do their assignments and electronically save them.