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Law360 (June 28, 2021, 7:17 PM EDT) -- The Federal Communications Commission is set to begin accepting subsidy applications Tuesday for its $7.17 billion program to help students get and stay online during the coronavirus pandemic.
The application window will run for 45 days, and include requests for equipment and services spanning the 2021-2022 school year, a senior FCC official told reporters during a Monday press call. After the first application window closes, schools and libraries should have a chance to apply for a second wave of funding for the upcoming school year, as well as request reimbursement for pandemic connectivity projects they have already launched, the official said.
The Emergency Connectivity Fund, part of a sweeping $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package authorized in March, will reimburse schools and libraries for "laptop and tablet computers, Wi-Fi hotspots, and broadband connectivity for students, school staff, and library patrons in need during the COVID-19 pandemic."
The official noted that Acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel sees the program as "a real down payment to close that gap" between students who have internet access at home and those who do not.
The staffer said Monday that the FCC left eligibility requirements for participating schools and libraries open-ended, recognizing that the institutions are doing their best to meet students' and patrons' needs during an emergency. As such, the institutions must conduct some kind of survey to assess unmet connectivity needs in their districts and use that data to back up their funding requests. The official emphasized, however, that the requirement isn't meant to be burdensome or prohibitive for applicants.
On May 10, the agency inked rules that will allow schools and libraries to tap into $7.17 billion in funds designated by Congress, just meeting a statutory deadline for the agency to launch the program by the end of the day.
The ECF is on track to open at the same time that another pandemic relief program, the Emergency Broadband Benefit, is also live. While the ECF focuses on making sure students can complete coursework remotely, the EBB more generally targets households that have been impacted by the pandemic and can't afford connectivity.
The FCC acknowledged that some households may be able to partake in both benefits. Both programs could not provide the same household with a fixed broadband connection, for example, but the EBB could pay for a fixed internet connection and the ECF could cover a student's laptop, the official said. When the school year ends, or when a student graduates or changes schools, the equipment will be returned to the district.
The FCC expects the two programs to "work in tandem," the official said.
--Editing by Regan Estes.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
