Bill > A5432

Introduced Session

This bill establishes the Digital Divide Solutions Grant Program within the Department of Education to assist school districts, charter schools, and renaissance schools in the purchase of online instruction equipment for students who lack access to such equipment. Under the program, the State would be required to award grants to each school district, charter school, and renaissance school in an amount sufficient to defray the full costs of purchasing (1) a connected device for every student who lacks access to a connected device; (2) a Wi-Fi hotspot and mobile broadband Internet access service, as necessary, for every household that includes a student who lacks access to the Internet; (3) device peripherals such as cases, computer mice, and headsets for each connected device; and (4) device insurance to cover theft and breakage, extended warranties, off-site configuration, device management licensing, and delivery costs. To the extent permitted by federal law, these grants would be paid from the monies received by the State under the federal "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act" or any other financial assistance provided by the federal government to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on elementary and secondary schools. However, if insufficient federal funds are available to support the full distribution of grants, the department would be required to provide the grants on a pro-rata basis. Specifically, when a school district, charter school, or renaissance school implements a program of virtual or remote instruction, the public school would be required to use its grant to purchase and make available online instruction equipment, including connected devices, Wi-Fi hotspots, mobile broadband Internet access service, device peripherals, and device insurance, as needed, to every enrolled student who lacks access to such equipment. Thereafter, the student would be required to return every piece of online instruction equipment no later than five calendar days following the conclusion of the program of virtual or remote instruction. If a school district, charter school, or renaissance school uses the grant to provide mobile broadband Internet access service to the residence of an enrolled student, the public school may suspend the service at any time following the conclusion of the program of virtual or remote instruction. The bill requires that 95 percent of the proceeds of each grant be dedicated to the purchase of online instruction equipment with the remaining five percent of grant proceeds used to provide professional development opportunities for student family members to learn about Internet safety, basic device troubleshooting, recommendations for supporting and monitoring student device usage, and maintaining an effective learning environment in the home. The grant may not be used to support administrative expenses. The bill also provides that every piece of online instruction equipment purchased through the grant program would be considered the property of the school district, charter school, or renaissance school. The bill also requires each school district, charter school, and renaissance school to submit a report to the Commissioner of Education within one year of receiving the grant. In addition to any other information required by the commissioner, the report would indicate every piece of online instruction equipment that was purchased under the grant program, as well as the number of enrolled students who continue to lack access to online instruction equipment. The bill would take effect immediately and be retroactive to March 18, 2020, which was the date in which schools were first closed in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency pursuant to Executive Order No. 104 of 2020.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Aura Dunn (R)*,  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)*,  Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D)*,  Angela Mcknight (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (on 03/08/2021)