Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

APPLY: Schools Can Receive Free Internet Service, Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspots for K-12 Students

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 11/30/20

AT&T, in collaboration with non-profit Connected Nation, launched an online application for the AT&T K-12 Connected Learning Program, which offers free wireless internet service and mobile Wi-Fi hotspots for marginalized students nationwide.

According to a 2018 survey, there are an estimated 17 million public K-12 students who don’t have access to the internet to support online learning. In addition, about 3 million students, may not have received any formal education — virtual or in-person — since March 2020.

AT&T has committed to $10 million to support the country’s most vulnerable students who don’t have adequate internet access and are disconnected from learning. The AT&T K-12 Connected Learning Program is focused on providing mobile Wi-Fi hotspots and free wireless internet service for students who have been disproportionately impacted since the pandemic forced schools to close.

School districts, charter schools, and community-based non-profit organizations that serve “at-risk youth” are eligible to apply.

The program aims to help students in the following groups:

  • Students in foster care
  • Students experiencing homelessness
  • English language learners
  • Students with disabilities
  • Students eligible for the Migrant Education Program
  • Other at-risk students who may be disconnected from formal education opportunities

The awardees will receive free AT&T wireless interet service for one calendar year for up to 500 K-12 students per award. A free mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for each line of service. Some awardees may receive a new or refurbished laptop, Chromebook, or tablet learning device based on nead and availability.

The application can be found at: www.att.connectednation.org/s3/connectedlearning

The application deadline is January 11, 2021. Awardees will be announced in early-to-mid February 2021.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Minnesota District Completes $49.7M Addition, Renovation Project

    St. Paul Public Schools in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $49.7-million addition and remodeling project at two district schools, according to a news release.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.