K-12 Bridge to Broadband Program

ACA Connects is pleased to join with EducationSuperHighway in supporting the K-12 Bridge to Broadband Program, a new initiative to help connect students to broadband for remote learning.

As schools turn to broadband for remote learning, they face the problem that many students lack broadband connections at home. School districts are obtaining funding from various sources to support these students, but they need the help of local broadband providers to identify which students lack connectivity and to provide the service.  At the same time, there may be service providers that wish to partner more closely with local schools to meet their broadband needs but are unsure how best to engage. The K-12 Bridge to Broadband Initiative is aimed at fostering these partnerships. You can find more information about the program here.

How Does the Program Work?

Under this new program, participating service providers agree to create a “sponsored service” offering that enables school districts or states to purchase home Internet connections for their students who lack broadband subscriptions. Providers help districts and states identify which students lack home Internet connections through the confidential exchange of address and service data. This K-12 Bridge to Broadband Initiative is an exciting opportunity for ACA Connects members to serve their communities by connecting students with online learning.

Broadband providers that participate in the program commit to the follow these core principles:

SPONSORED SERVICE

Companies will create a “sponsored” service offering for school districts or other entities.

IDENTIFY STUDENT NEED

Companies will work together with school districts to identify which students need service.

STANDARDIZE ELIGIBILITY

Companies will agree to a baseline set of eligibility standards.

FACILITATE ENROLLMENT

Companies will minimize the amount of information necessary to sign up families.

PROTECT PRIVACY

Companies should not use school-supplied information for targeted marketing to families covered by the program.

Participating ACA Connects Members

  • 1Tennessee Broadband 
  • ALLO
  • Armstrong
  • Astrea
  • Atlantic Broadband
  • Blue Devil Cable TV
  • CASSCOMM
  • Comporium
  • Consolidated Communications
  • Ellijay Telephone Company
  • GCI
  • H&B Communications
  • Horizon Cable
  • Hotwire Communications
  • ImOn Communications
  • Jefferson County Cable 
  • Madison Communications Company
  • Mediacom
  • MCTV
  • NITCO
  • Nortex Communications
  • Nuvera
  • Point Broadband
  • Premier Communications
  • QCOL
  • Rainier Connect
  • RCN, Grande Communications and Wave Broadband
  • Red River Communications 
  • River Valley Telecommunications Co-op
  • S&T Communications
  • SELCO
  • Shentel
  • Sparklight
  • Sjoberg’s
  • Vast Broadband
  • Vexus
  • VNet Fiber
  • Vyve Broadband
  • Wilkes Communications
  • Windstream
  • WOW!
  • X-Stream Services 
Click Here to Participate in the Program

You may contact Brian Hurley at bhurley@acaconnects.org with any questions.