The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is committing nearly $55 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Program (ECP), benefitting approximately 125,000 students across the country.
The ECP – which the Commission launched last year – is a $7.171 billion program that helps schools and libraries provide students with the tools they need to succeed in this new digital educational landscape. The funding can also support remote learning, such as nightly homework and remote classrooms.
To date, the FCC has committed nearly $5.9 billion to schools and libraries across the country – 10,000 schools, 900 libraries, and 100 consortia – and provided about 12 million connected devices and over 7 million broadband connections.
“With the school year in full swing, kids need to be able to connect with teachers and homework assignments when they are away from school grounds,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a press release. “Our latest funding commitments will provide this support and continue our ongoing progress to close the Homework Gap.”
This funding announcement will specifically support over 200 schools, 20 libraries, and two consortia across the country – including in California, Indiana, Michigan, Puerto Rico, and Texas.
