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# Department of Education Launches Outreach Campaign to Millions of K-12 Students and Federal Pell Grant Recipients Now Eligible for Monthly Discounts on Broadband Internet Service

# Department of Education Launches Outreach Campaign to Millions of K-12 Students and Federal Pell Grant Recipients Now Eligible for Monthly Discounts on Broadband Internet Service

May 12, 2021

**Contact:  **press@ed.gov

                                    -  	More Resources	en español (Spanish)      
The U.S. Department of Education today launched a major  outreach campaign to millions of students who are now eligible for a monthly  discount on broadband internet service under a temporary program administered  by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The campaign will inform  millions of families with children participating in the free or reduced-price  lunch or school breakfast program, and 6.5 million Pell Grant recipients that they are now  eligible for the discount of up to $50 per month. Eligible households on  qualifying Tribal lands can receive a discount of up to $75 per month.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified issues of internet  access and affordability for both K-12 students and college students,  particularly students of color, students in rural or tribal communities, and  students from low-income families,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel  Cardona. “We know that the quality of home internet access has an impact on  student success, and that students without robust internet access and reliable  devices struggled more with the transition to remote learning this past year. This  campaign will not only keep more of America’s students connected and learning,  but will help address inequities exacerbated by COVID-19. As we recover from  the pandemic, we have an opportunity to rebuild our education system back  better than it was before, and providing reliable, affordable internet access  to more students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic is one way we can  make sure all students are set up for success.”

Households with a child who has received approval for  benefits under the under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School  Breakfast Program (SBP), including a child that attends a school participating  in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision  (CEP), during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years are now eligible for the  FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB  Program). Pell Grant recipients, who are usually undergraduates with  exceptional financial need, also qualify for the FCC’s EBB Program to help  pursue postsecondary education if they received their grant during the  2020-2021 award year. 

The temporary program provides a monthly discount of up to  $50 per month on broadband service and associated equipment (a modem, for  example) for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on  qualifying Tribal lands. Each participating household may also receive a  one-time discount of up to $100 for one connected device—a laptop, desktop, or  tablet computer—where available from a participating broadband provider, as  long as the household contributes between $10 and $50 towards the cost of the  device.

Eligible families of K-12 students and eligible Pell  Grant recipients can apply for the discount online, via mail, or through a participating  service provider. Eligible households can find participating internet service  providers in their area by entering  their zip code into the Companies Near Me tool.

“It’s more apparent than ever that broadband is no longer  nice-to-have. It’s need-to-have. For everyone, everywhere,” said acting FCC  Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Seemingly overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic  required millions of families and students to shift to remote learning. These  students, their families, and their teachers worked hard to make remote  learning a reality. But this crisis highlighted like never before that the  virtual classroom was closed to millions of students without reliable internet  access at home – with students of color and low-income families hit the  hardest. And that’s simply unacceptable. I’m proud to partner with Secretary  Cardona and the Department of Education to help get the word out about the  FCC’s newest program to help families struggling with digital disconnection and  provide them support.”

The Education Department is reaching out directly to  approximately 6.5 million Pell Grant recipients to inform them that they may be  eligible for the discount. The Department is also reaching out to CEP schools  and districts to inform them that they or their students may be eligible for  the internet access program and share information on how to apply.  Additionally, the Department is working with the FCC to develop materials to  support schools, districts, and postsecondary schools in spreading the word  about the program to eligible students and families. As trusted community  members, schools, districts, and postsecondary schools are critical outreach  partners. In addition to conducting EBB Program outreach to eligible students  and families, schools can take steps to help eligible students and families  navigate the sign-up process, including:
- Using the outreach       toolkit materials to inform eligible students and families about the       Emergency Broadband Benefit. The toolkit and other consumer materials can       be found at  fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit . Outreach       resources for K-12 schools and districts can be found at  /www.usac.org/about/emergency-broadband-benefit-program/">Companies Near Me  tool to identify       participating providers.
- Organizing a provider       fair so that students and families can compare and ask questions about the       available internet service plans offered by participating local providers.

For questions about the EBB Program please visit GetEmergencyBroadband.org, call 833-511-0311,  or email EBBHelp@usac.org.

Today’s announcement is part of the Biden-Harris  Administration’s broader commitment to providing support and resources to  students and communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, expand access to  broadband, and build back better. The American Rescue Plan provides resources  states and schools districts can use to close the digital divide, for example  by purchasing laptops and wi-fi hotspots. The Department has also provided  direct support to students through the American Rescue Plan, including informing more  students of expanded eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance  Program (SNAP) during the pandemic. President Biden has also proposed historic  investments in the American Jobs Plan to reach 100 coverage of high-speed,  reliable, broadband internet, and he has proposed in the American Families Plan  to increase the maximum Pell Grant award by about $1,400.
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