New U.S. Dept. of Ed. & FCC Resources

June 23, 2021

Schools, districts and states have taken a variety of approaches throughout the past year to address the homework gap for students. To help superintendents in these efforts, the U.S. Dept. of Ed. has released a host of new resources and opportunities to provide district leaders with strategies and guidance addressing how to close the digital divide.

The first resource is the Department’s new guide that focuses on digital equity. Specifically, the guide highlights one new long-term solution that may be particularly helpful for rural LEA’s trying to increase access to connectivity. (Hint: It concerns deploying off-campus wireless networks.) You can access the full guide here. 

The second resource provides answers to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) new Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program. Specifically, this document was designed in close coordination between the U.S. Dept. of Ed. and the FCC outlining what the EBB program is, what it covers, how long it lasts and the eligibility requirements for qualified students. Moreover, the Department has issued an Outreach Toolkit that includes a Sample Consent form and Template FRPL Verification Letter for the EBB program (additional language is coming soon, so be on the lookout for the updated resources). You can access all these resources by clicking here.