LAUSD to Provide Internet Connectivity for Students Who Don’t Have Access
Los Angeles Unified School
District (LAUSD), the largest district in California and
second-largest in the nation, will provide internet connectivity to as many
as 100,000 students who do not have access at home. LAUSD schools
will remain closed at least until May 1 over concerns surrounding
COVID-19, the district recently announced.
According to LAUSD, Verizon
will be the internet provider for the students. “This agreement is
a critical component in the district’s plan for students to
continue learning as campuses remain closed in response to COVID-19.”
“The digital divide is
very real, as many as 100,000 of our students lack access to the
internet at home,” LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said in a
prepared statement. “We must find a way for all students to
continue to learn while schools are closed and this partnership with
Verizon will help to do that.”
“Access to distance
learning and reliable connectivity is a critical component to the
success of the LAUSD’s mission,” said Andrés Irlando, senior
vice president and president public sector and Verizon Connect at
Verizon, also in a prepared statement. “Verizon is proud to partner
with LAUSD to help bridge the digital divide and keep students
connected to their teachers, schools and each other during this
unprecedented time.”
LAUSD did not disclose terms
of the deal. We will update this story when details of the deal become available.
Find more resources for schools during the COVID-19 crisis here.