Amendment #155 to H4708

Gateway Cities Student Broadband Adoption Fund

Representatives Golden of Lowell, Nangle of Lowell and Mom of Lowell move to amend the bill in section 2A, by adding at the end thereof the following section:-

“XXXX-XXXX   To create a Gateway Cities Student Broadband Adoption Fund.  There shall be established in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education the “Gateway Cities Student Broadband Adoption Fund” to provide funds to school districts or non profits that serve students in Gateway Cities to expand access to online instruction for economically disadvantaged students.  The grant program shall award grants to school districts to defray the costs, either in whole or in part, associated with purchasing a qualifying reserve of online instruction equipment.  A school district may apply to the department for a grant.  The grants shall be awarded in amounts determined by the Department of Early and Secondary Education.  When awarding grants, the Department shall give preference to applicants from Gateway Cities.

To qualify for a grant, a school district shall agree to purchase and maintain a reserve of one piece of online instruction equipment and associated services for every 12 students who were enrolled in the school district, charter school, or renaissance school during the previous school year.  For the purposes of this section, one piece of online instruction equipment and services shall include:

(1)one connected device; and

(2)the equipment necessary for a student to utilize a broadband connection, and provision of wired or wireless broadband Internet access service.

As used in this section:

“Connected device” means a laptop computer, tablet computer, or similar device that is capable of connecting to broadband Internet access service, either by receiving such service directly or through the use of Wi-Fi.

“broadband Internet access service” means a mass-market retail service by wire or radio that provides the capability to transmit data to and receive data from all or substantially all Internet endpoints, including any capabilities that are incidental to and enable the operation of the communications service, but excluding services that do not meet the Federal Communication Commission’s definition of broadband.

“Online instruction equipment and services” means the equipment and services necessary for one student to participate in online instruction services at locations other than a school, and includes a connected device, and the equipment necessary for a student to utilize a broadband connection, and wired or wireless broadband Internet access service.

For implementation of the Gateway Cities Broadband Adoption Fund…………………………$2,000,000

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #155 to H4708

Gateway Cities Student Broadband Adoption Fund