NextLight and St. Vrain Valley School District, or SVVSD, are partnering to bridge the digital divide for families that may not have a steady internet connection at home.
The COVID pandemic saw SVVSD students switch to remote learning, with classes moved to Zoom meetings and homework submitted by iPad. According to data from the 2019 Census, 10.3% of Longmont households had no internet access, while 7% of Longmont households had no computer at home.
Sharing the NextLight provides symmetrical 100-megabit fiber optic connection for families in Longmont with students from Pre-K to grade 12 that qualify for free or reduced lunch or are part of a Head Start program. College students eligible for a Pell grant with six or more credit hours per semester can also qualify for the program. The program provides the NextLight connection at zero cost to the participating families.