20 SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
NYC schools receive funding to increase internet access for students
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Aft er many students lacked internet
access to do their school work
remotely during the COVID-19
outbreak, Congresswoman Grace Meng
announced on Friday, Sept. 24, that New
York City schools have been awarded
millions of dollars in federal funding to
connect students to the internet.
In March, Meng and Senator Ed Markey
(D-Massachusetts), helped to obtain
more than $7 billion in E-Rate Emergency
Connectivity Funding for schools to provide
Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers,
internet service and internet-enabled
devices so that students can obtain internet
access during the COVID-19 crisis.
These funds include more than $192
million for New York City schools, and
nearly $739,000 for some schools in
Meng’s district in Queens.
When the application period opened
in June, Meng urged schools to seek
funding.
“During the pandemic, we have seen
how crucial internet access has been for
learning and completing assignments.
During remote learning, it was essential.
It is unacceptable and unconscionable
that millions of students across the
country, including many in New York,
still don’t have access to the internet, and
this lack of connectivity continues to be a
barrier to academic success,” Meng said.
“Each and every student deserves to have
the tools they need to succeed, and that
includes being able to get online.”
Meng thanked and commended
Jessica Rosenworcel, chairwoman of
the Acting Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), and her team for
supporting and administering the vital
program.
“Too many kids struggle without the
broadband they need for nightly schoolwork.
The homework gap is the cruelest
part of our digital divide. But the FCC
has new tools to fi x it,” Rosenworcel said.
“Today, the FCC announced $1.2 billion in
Emergency Connectivity Fund support
is headed to thousands of schools and
libraries to help, including many across
New York. I’m grateful for Congresswoman’s
Meng’s commitment to ensuring
100 percent of us have the aff ordable
internet access we need for modern-day
success, including our students.”
The E-Rate Emergency Connectivity
Fund money that Meng helped secure
was included in the American Rescue
Plan, the most recent coronavirus
relief package passed by congressional
Democrats and signed into law in March
by President Biden.
The fi rst wave of funding that the FCC
is allocating under the program includes
more than $1.2 billion for more than
3,000 schools and libraries to connect
over 3.6 million students to the internet.
In July, Meng, Markey and Senator
Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) – along with
other Senators and House members
– introduced the Securing Universal
Communications Connectivity to
Ensure Students Succeed (SUCCESS)
Act to build on the success of securing
funding.
The money would extend the Emergency
Connectivity Fund by providing
$8 billion a year over fi ve years — for a
total of $40 billion — in order to continue
providing Wi-Fi hotspots, modems,
routers and internet-enabled devices
to students following the COVID-19
crisis.
Photo via Getty Images
EDUCATION
BEST NATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
BEST BUSINESS
SCHOOL
THE PRINCETON REVIEW
BEST NORTHEASTERN
UNIVERSITY
THE PRINCETON REVIEW
IN SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS AWARDED ANNUALLY
APPLY TODAY AT LIU.EDU/APPLY
/APPLY
/WWW.QNS.COM
link
link
