Saying Web access is
essential for students to compete in a wired world, President Obama on Thursday
will announce an initiative to bring high-speed Internet to almost all of the
nation's schools by 2018.
At a speech in a
high-tech middle school in Mooresville, North Carolina, Obama was scheduled to
order federal agencies to earmark funds for providing broadband and wireless
access to 99% of U.S. public schools in the next five years, according to
senior administration officials. The president is tasking the Federal
Communication Commission with spearheading the project, and is also asking the
FCC to fund high-speed connections at libraries.
"We are living in a
digital age, and to help our students get ahead, we must make sure they have
access to cutting-edge technology," said Obama in a statement released by
the White House.
"So today, I'm
issuing a new challenge for America -- one that 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."
At least one FCC member
has alreasdy signaled she's on board with the effort.
"President Obama's
ConnectED initiative recognizes that access to adequate broadband capacity to
our schools and libraries is not a luxury -- it's a necessity for America's
next generation of students to be able to compete ...," FCC commissioner
Jessica Rosenworcel, who was nominated by Obama, said in a written statement.
"We need to protect what we have done, build on it, and put it on a course
to provide higher speeds and greater opportunities in the days ahead. This
initiative is an exciting effort that has my wholehearted and enthusiastic
support."
The initiative, called ConnectED,
also will ask private-sector industries for help in getting the most modern
technology, educational software and apps into students' hands, and in
providing tech training for teachers.
The effort does not
require approval by Congress.
According to an
administration fact sheet, the average American school has slower Internet
connections than most homes, and fewer than 20% of educators say their school's
Web access meets their teaching needs.
The White House says the
initiative will particularly benefit rural schools, and rural communities in
general, where high-speed Web access still lags behind urban and suburban
areas.
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