Philadelphia Providing Free Internet for 35,000 Low-Income Families This School Year

Since schooling will be done remotely again this upcoming fall, the city of Philadelphia has been working to make sure that students have everything they need to complete the year, which includes internet connection.

According to Good News Network, the city has been working with partners to provide broadband internet access for over 35,000 kids. The program was revealed this week and it is called PHLConnectED.

According to Good News Network, the program will give eligible student households two years of high-speed internet. There will be no fees or expenses for the internet. Families will be given access to either Comcast’s Internet Essentials program or a high-speed hotspot to ensure that K-12 public schools have the devices and tech to keep running.

The city will use $2 million in local CARES Act for funding, but the majority of it will come from Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation at $7 million, and William Penn Foundation and Philadelphia School Partnership at both $1 million, and other partners, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

According to Good News Network, Mayor Jim Kenney said that this was a learning and transforming moment that came from the pandemic and the program will help closing the digital divide.

Schools in the city are to remain closed to in-person classes for the fall and there is no word on the spring yet. This follows the Coronavirus Pandemic that shut down schools in the spring and will will affect the upcoming year.