NCTE Cosigns Letter Urging Funds Be Included in the Build Back Better Act to Help Preserve Broadband Connectivity
NCTE urges that the Build Back Better Act provide at least $4 billion to preserve broadband connectivity for more than 5 million students, teachers, and library patrons. NCTE applauds the House Energy and Commerce Committee for including the priority in its version of the bill. This continuation of the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) is vital for maintaining connectivity beyond June 30, 2022. This funding has helped to bridge the home connectivity gap faced by an estimated 16 million students and 400,000 educators before COVID began. To date, the ECF has connected 9.1 million devices and 5.4 million broadband connections, with applications coming from every US state and territory. Read more about the efforts of 56 educational organizations, including NCTE, here.