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Originally published Dec. 15 in.chalkbeat.orgÂ
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced a $1.7 million pilot on Tuesday that will connect Marion County students to reliable internet access at no charge.Â
The city is working with Energy Systems Network and Indiana 5G Zone to provide around 2,000 students in six schools with Wi-Fi hotspots starting in February. Reliable internet connectivity has long been a gap in rural and low-income Indiana communities, and the pandemic has exacerbated the disparity. According to an April needs assessment by the cityâs Office of Education Innovation, 1 in 4 students across Marion Countyâs 11 school districts and 50 public charter schools did not have access to reliable internet service to do their schoolwork.Â
Dec 15, 2020 / 02:19 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) Indianapolis is investing nearly $ 1.7 million to make sure students in Marion County have high-speed, reliable internet access.
The majority of the funding comes from CARES Act money as well as investments from other partnerships.
$730,000 in federal CARES Act funding
$500,000 from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation
$330,000 from Lilly Endowment, Inc.
$100,000 from the Indiana 5G Zone
During a time where students in Marion County are doing all of their learning from home, it is crucial to have internet access.
According to IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson, about 30% of students don’t have access to internet that can support the demand of e-learning.