D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Tuesday a program that will provide up to 25,000 low-income students and families with free internet connections.
Eligible D.C. public school and public charter school students will be connected to RCN or Comcast broadband internet service under the $3.3 million plan, WRC-TV (Channel 4) reported.
“This investment continues our commitment not only to supporting families during virtual school term, but also to building a more digitally-inclusive D.C. in the long term,” the mayor said in a statement, WRC reported.
The plan, known as Internet for All, covers one year of service for eligible students and families who are recipients of SNAP or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). District government officials will contact eligible families, WRC reported.
D.C. decided on an all-virtual start to the 2020-21 school year, which began Aug. 31, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.