Chicago Wants to Make Its Student Broadband Program Permanent

Chicago Connected — "a groundbreaking initiative to provide free Internet" — aims to connect 100,000 students, giving them Internet at home for minimum of four years. Chicago officials say they hope the program will be the first phase of a broader effort that ultimately bridges the city’s digital divide. The four-year scope really sets the program apart from those found in other parts of the country, “This is really just phase one of what we’re trying to do,” said Chicago Chief Financial Officer Jennie Bennett. “The [Chicago Public School] student need was critical because of COVID, but we know there’s a broader need across the city.”  The city in its role was able to act in part as a convener, facilitating the donations from the disparate actors, working with the ISPs, and bringing in the school district. Community groups were also instrumental in conceptualizing the nature of the group.

Daniel Anello is the CEO of Kids First Chicago, a community group that works to ensure high-quality public schools are accessible to all families. Anello’s group helped facilitate and give shape to Chicago Connected as well. Anello said the expectation is that by the time the first four years of the plan is up, there will be new funding or potentially legislation that will help it continue indefinitely.  “What the quarantine and coronavirus did was really elevate how significant an issue this has been for a very long time,” Anello said. “We’ve always thought of the Internet as a luxury, and the truth is coronavirus made us realize it’s a necessity.”