Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is awarding over $4.5 million to the Bibb, Calhoun, Muscogee, Taylor, and Webster County school districts through the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program. This will help provide connected devices and better broadband connectivity for students and educators.
“Ensuring that our students have access to broadband and connected devices helps close the ‘homework gap’ by connecting students to our schools and teachers. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted this need in communities across the country,” said Congressman Bishop. “This is a huge federal investment in our communities and I encourage other schools and libraries across middle and southwest Georgia to apply for these funds.”
Across the country, this first wave of funding will support 3,081,131 devices and 774,115 broadband connections and help connect over 3.6 million students who, according to their schools, would otherwise lack devices, broadband access, or both.
A second application filing window opened on September 28 and closes on October 13 that will provide funding for eligible equipment and services received or delivered between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.
The funding is available for the purchase of laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connections for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons in need, and is available to support off-campus learning, such as homework and virtual learning as schools continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can learn more about the program and apply by visiting https://www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org/.
Original source can be found here.
