Rep. Bennie G. Thompson Announces Over $ 7.9 Million in Funding for MS Second Congressional District Schools and Libraries to Help Kids Access the Internet at Home and Close the Homework Gap

Bolton, MS – One year after the American Rescue Plan became law, Representative Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) announced today that Mississippi Second Congressional District has received $7,945,336 to date from the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Emergency Connectivity Fund Program (ECF). The ECF program, which was created as part of the American Rescue Plan, helps schools and libraries ensure that students can connect to the internet at home, allowing them to take advantage of online learning and do their homework. Known as the "homework gap," students who lack access to the internet at home often fall behind their peers as curriculums and educational opportunities rely more and more on the ability to conduct online research and connect to the web.

According to the FCC, the $7.17 billion program has provided Mississippi with $21,365,764 in total funding to date.

"The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare what was already true — that with educational tools, homework, and opportunities increasingly online, kids without home internet access are often left without the basics needed to succeed," said Rep. Thompson. "This critical funding, made possible by the American Rescue Plan, will help children across Mississippi who don't have the equipment or internet access necessary to stay connected and get their work done. I'm proud to have supported this program in Congress and will keep fighting to close the homework gap because students – regardless of zip code or circumstance – deserve the tools they need to succeed in school."

The ECF Program will help cover costs of laptop and tablet computers, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connectivity purchases for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons.

The schools and libraries in Mississippi's Second Congressional District that have received funding from the FCC program include: