BTSD receives grant to pilot cybersecurity program

Bristol Township School District (BTSD) is one of 54 districts in Pennsylvania to receive a grant for the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program. The $248,472 three-year grant is made possible through the E-rate program, administered under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Director of Technology Bob Pfau applied for this grant to provide BTSD with access to cybersecurity resources. Among over 2,000 applicants, the Universal Service Fund (USF) is providing up to $200 million to 707 eligible schools and libraries.

“School districts are prime targets for cybersecurity attacks due to limited budgets, a high number of users on the network, and their critical dependence on network availability for learning, security systems, communication and other essential functions,” said Pfau.

To safeguard BTSD from cyber threats, the funds will be used to support firewall maintenance and updates, enhance endpoint protection, implement active monitoring tools and conduct annual network penetration tests.

“This grant will give us access to enterprise class monitoring and remediation tools, offset district funds we would have otherwise spent on support services, and strengthen our network security posture,” said Pfau.