Story thread · 3 reports / 3 sources

Chicago extends program offering free Wifi to CPS students

wbez.org · 12dShare

More than 28,000 Chicago Public Schools students will have access to free internet at home this year thanks to the extension of the Chicago Connected program. The program launched in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and a shift to remote learning. Since then, more than 60,000 students have gained access to reliable home internet to complete homework and access online resources, the city of Chicago said in a news release. “Making sure that our young people and families have access to Wifi, the internet, it's a critical component of their development,” Mayor Brandon Johnson told the Sun-Times. “As a former public school teacher, I know how important it is for students to have access to the world, to the internet.” About $2 million was dedicated to the effort, with much of the up-front costs covered by the continuation of service from prior years, according to a city spokesman. The Department of Technology and Innovation saved money by moving IT services to the cloud and other co

First report: Mayor Johnson extends free internet program for 28,000 CPS students as reelection rumors swirl — wgntv.com, 12d