Apr 29, 2021 2:30 PM
Melinda Fiscus
A new federal program, The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, announced today that eligible homes could start signing up on May 12, 2021 to receive $50 off the monthly cost of home internet access. One of the program qualifiers is housing a student who is eligible for the National School Lunch Program. This means any household eligible for free or reduced lunch for your school could potentially receive a monthly discount. More information about the program can be found at The Emergency Broadband Benefit Program.
A webinar offered yesterday by the program manager (USAC) suggested that those interested in participating contact an internet access provider in their state (Here are IL providers to date) and ask if they can directly enroll through the provider OR if they should fill out an online or paper application on the website linked above to get signed up on or after May 12. It was suggested that directly enrolling through a participating provider would be the quickest process if the provider supports that option.
Although this program is not dedicated to educational purposes, it could dramatically assist districts with their efforts for student home connectivity. Today's announcement from the FCC is attached to this message.
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MINDY FISCUS
Digital Access Coordinator
mfiscus@ltcillinois.org
Learning Technology Center of Illinois |
ltcillinois.org
Empowering Educational Change Through Technology
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1-26-21 PARENT REMINDER
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