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

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

  • University of Utah Launches Utah 360 App

    The University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, recently announced that it has partnered with digital engagement hub Pathify to launch a new app for the university community, according to a news release.

  • abstract representation of hybrid learning environment

    The Permanence of Change: Why Hybrid Is the New Baseline

    Hybrid learning is here to stay, and it's reshaping how campus spaces function.

  • KI Launches K–12 Classroom Furniture Giveaway

    Contract furniture company KI recently announced the launch of its fourth-annual Classroom Furniture Giveaway, which awards $50,000 each to four K–12 educators across the U.S., according to a news release. The goal is to address decreasing student engagement and increasing teacher burnout numbers by updating learning spaces to accommodate modern needs.

  • California Middle School Completes Two New Academic Buildings

    Sunnyvale Middle School in Sunnyvale, Calif., recently announced that construction is complete on two new classroom buildings of two stories each, according to a district news release. The new wing will house seventh- and eighth-grade students and is part of a larger campus modernization project.

Digital Edition