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FCC Announces $53.4 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding

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Schools, Libraries => The Future

FCC Announces $53.4 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding

Posted by DrRon Suarez on November 27, 2023 at 10:25 am
- Released On: Oct 18, 2023
- Issued On: Oct 18, 2023
- Media Contact: Katie Gorscak [email protected]
  
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  FCC ANNOUNCES $53.4 MILLION IN EMERGENCY CONNECTIVITY FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES
  
  Over 18 Million Students Nationwide Have Received Support to Date in Ongoing Work to Close the Homework Gap
  
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  WASHINGTON, October 18, 2023—The Federal Communications Commission today announced it is committing over $53.4 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Fund Program, which provides digital tools and services to support students in communities across the country. Today’s funding commitment supports applications from the third application window, benefitting approximately 140,000 students nationwide, including students in Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
  
  “In today’s classroom, broadband connections and digital tools are the new pencils and notebooks, making them vital to students’ success. That’s why we’re pleased to announce another round of funding to help close the Homework Gap for students,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.
  
  Today’s announcement will support approximately 175 schools and school districts, 4 libraries and library systems, and 2 consortium. The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework, and summer online learning programs to ensure students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education. More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found at https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund.
  
  Launched in 2021, the Emergency Connectivity Program has provided schools and libraries three different “application windows” to apply for support. Approximately $7.08 billion in funding commitments have been approved to date, approximately $4.14 billion is supporting applications from Window 1; $834 million from Window 2; and $2.11 billion from Window 3. To date, the funding has provided support to approximately 18 million students, 11,500 schools, 1065 libraries, and 128 consortia, and provided nearly 13 million connected devices and over 8 million broadband connections.
  
  As a long-term solution to the Homework Gap, Chairwoman Rosenworcel recently announced her new initiative “Learn Without Limits” to modernize the E-Rate program to allow for Wi-Fi on school buses and for permanent support to loan out Wi-Fi hotspots. For more information see: https://www.fcc.gov/document/chairwoman-rosenworcel-announces-learn-without-limits-initiative.
  
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  Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (844) 432-2275 / Twitter: @FCC / http://www.fcc.gov
  
  This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).
- For Immediate Release
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