Today, President Obama unveiled a bold, new initiative called ConnectED to connect 99 percent of America’s students to the Internet through high-speed broadband and high-speed wireless within five years, calling on the FCC to modernize and leverage its existing E-Rate program to meet that goal. The president also directed the federal government to make better use of existing funds to get Internet connectivity and educational technology into classrooms and in the hands of teachers trained on its advantages. He called on businesses, states, districts, schools and communities to support this vision.
“We are living in a digital age; to help our students get ahead, we must make sure they have access to cutting-edge technology,” said President Obama. “So today, I’m issuing a new challenge for America — one where families, businesses, school districts and the federal government can rally around together — to connect virtually every student in America’s classrooms to high-speed broadband Internet within five years and equip them with the tools to make the most of it.”
(Source: THE WHITE HOUSE – Office of the Press Secretary)