The NM Public Education Department is planning the use of a limited funding source to provide funding for high-need students who have no option for wired, hotspot, or school or community provided Wi-Fi internet access (students with family transportation limitations that prevent them from being able to travel to community or school-provided Wi-Fi services). These are students for which satellite-based internet service is the only option for connectivity. Additionally, we are directing this support to students that have special education needs and students with health conditions that prevent live attendance of school during the health pandemic. In order to assist NMPED with this project, we would like to know how many students in your district or charter school meet these qualifications and you would be interested in getting connected to internet service using a satellite-based internet service. This service is very expensive relative to other options; therefore the qualifications for this funding source are very strict. The NMPED is working on getting special pricing and installation arrangements with service providers. Funding awards would be made to allow for your district or charter school to utilize this pricing to pay for the installation of satellite-based internet service and associated charges for one year.
Please identify the number of students in your district or charter school that meet the following qualifications, for which you would be interested in requesting funding for satellite-based internet service:
- Student's home does not have the ability to access wired internet services (cable, DSL, etc…); AND
- Student's home does not have the ability to utilize hotspot-based internet service due to lack of cellular/LTE data coverage; AND
- Student's family does not have the ability to transport student to a school or community provided Wi-Fi network; AND
EITHER
- Student qualifies for special education services; OR
- Student has a medical condition that prevents them from being able to attend live school sessions.