The Federal Communications Commission is investing over $13.9 million in an Emergency Connectivity Fund Program directed toward schools and libraries. The program aims to provide resources for around 35,000 students in 52 schools and districts across the country, including California, New York, Illinois, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia to name a few. The program will also include funding for five libraries and library systems.
“In or out of session, connecting students to digital resources remains vital to their academic success. Libraries and schools ensure students have access to the internet year-round,” said Jessica Rosenworcel, an FCC Chairwoman. That’s why we are pleased to announce another round of funding that will empower libraries and schools to provide students the digital tools needed to close the Homework Gap.”
The Emergency Connectivity Program has provided schools and libraries with billions of dollars over three application windows to aid 18 million students in 11,000 schools, 1,050 libraries, and 120 consortia since launching in 2021. The program has contributed 13 million connected devices and access to over 8 million broadband connections, according to the FCC announcement earlier this week.
This program helps cover laptops, tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, broadband, and other homework-helping devices for students to use off-campus.
As reported by Telecompetitor, at the end of May of this year the FCC committed to providing over $15 million in grant money to aid 35,000 students in approximately 50 schools and five libraries in California, Delaware, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, and Pennsylvania.
To find out more about the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program, visit its website. From there, you can see if your school or library is eligible, learn more about application requirements, sign up to receive more information, and fill out an application to be considered for the next open window.