Feds send more than $23.8 million in tax dollars to New Jersey schools, libraries

New Jersey schools and libraries will receive more than $23.8 million in federal tax dollars to help students and teachers stay connected.

The money is from the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Connectivity Fund Program (ECF). The latest funds are from the program’s fifth and sixth funding rounds; in total, the state has received more than $96 million from the fund.

The nearly $7.2 billion ECF program was part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP), which President Joe Biden signed into law in March.

“Schools and libraries in New Jersey continue to receive critical funding from the American Rescue Plan that will help ensure every student and teacher can stay connected to their classroom,” U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, said in a news release. “In drafting the Emergency Connectivity Fund with my colleagues, we focused the program on helping to get broadband service and devices into the hands of the students, teachers, and library patrons who need them,” he added.

“This funding, like the awards approved in the last three months, will help students do their homework, research, and complete at-home projects long after the COVID-19 pandemic is over,” Pallone added. “This funding is a critical investment in the future of young people in our state, and I will continue to work to ensure that access to broadband and technology is not a barrier to learning for any student.”

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