Helping schools reopen safely and in ways that support equity among students is a top priority for the Department of Education. The purpose of this Q&A is to help students, families, schools, and the public support all students’ rights in educational environments, including in elementary and secondary schools and postsecondary institutions, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We’re pleased to invite you to participate in a webinar on Wednesday, June 23rd, at 11:00 AM ET hosted by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator and Counselor to the President Jeff Zients.

We’ll share an update on our National Month of Action for vaccinations, as well as our efforts to provide vaccine access to adolescents this summer and in the lead-up to the start of the 2021-22 school year. We will provide resources and ask for your help as we continue to mobilize an all-of-America sprint to get more Americans vaccinated as quickly as possible.

Please see event information below:

Wednesday, June 23rd, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM ET

Register in advance for this webinar:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

This video conference meeting is by invitation only. Please RSVP by Tuesday, June 22 at 5:00 pm ET. If you have questions you would like to ask regarding vaccination efforts and adolescents/schools, please drop them in the questions/comments field when you register. Please note that registration for this event may close if we reach maximum capacity on Zoom.

Thank you for all that you are doing to provide safe in-person instruction to all of our students.

Best,

White House COVID-19 Response Team

This week the FCC announced the initial filing window for the Emergency Connectivity Fund, a $7.17 billion program that will help schools and libraries? provide? the tools and services their communities? need? for remote learning during the COVID-19 emergency period. From June 29, 2021, to August 13, 2021, eligible schools and libraries can apply for financial support to purchase connected devices like laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connectivity to meet unmet needs for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons during the COVID-19 emergency period. During this application filing window, eligible schools and libraries, in addition to consortia of schools and libraries, can submit requests for funding to purchase eligible equipment and services between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. You can view an FCC Fact Sheet on the program by visiting: https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/ecf_factsheet.pdf

The FCC will host a webinar on June 25, at 2 pm ET onfcc.gov/live to provide an overview of the Emergency Connectivity Fund, including applicant eligibility, supported equipment and services, reasonable support amounts, and the application and invoicing processes.