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James D. Libby of Standish represents District 22 in the Maine Senate where he serves on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee. He has been a faculty member at Thomas College since 2002 and joined Colby College as a visiting professor in 2017.
Maine has long led the way in educating our young people for the future. Famous authors like Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Henry David Thoreau have all called Maine home throughout the years, and that tradition of promoting quality education for our students remains a priority for our state. This excellence in schooling persisted through the tough times of the COVID-19 pandemic, even when remote learning made classroom instruction quite difficult for our students, our parents, and our teachers.
However, not all students nor their families have the same access to reliable internet, and these students can quickly fall behind their peers. Thankfully though, an innovative program known as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is helping to close this “digital divide” that separates those who have broadband access at home from those who do not. While the ACP has already made significant advancements in connecting Mainers since its inception in just the last few years, it is currently at risk of running out of funding, which would leave many families and students struggling.
The ACP helps Maine families by providing a $30 a month discount towards broadband access, and up to a $75 a month discount on qualifying tribal lands. Furthermore, it gives families a one-time $100 discount on eligible devices like tablets and laptops. That way, our students can continue their studies at home without the worry that they’ll be unable to complete their assignments, access important resources and materials, and stay connected with their classmates and teachers. It’s no wonder that already, more than 96,000 Maine households (about 40% of the eligible population) have signed up to use the ACP and have already begun enjoying the benefits it provides.
Having sat on the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee in the Maine Senate and served on the board of directors for the Maine Community College System, I know firsthand the importance of reliable internet connection for our students achieving their full potential. In an ever-more digitally connected world, having programs like the ACP to ensure students can all access broadband reliably is paramount, and it remains a program that must stay funded for the sake of our students.
Sen. Susan Collins has been a champion on broadband connectivity for a long time. I believe she shares the priorities that I and so many other Mainers have – that our students all deserve a great education no matter where they live. She has consistently been pushing for the best education for Maine students, and her support for this issue is invaluable for all Mainers.
As funding for the ACP risks running out this spring, potentially cutting off 95,000 Maine households from the internet, Mainers are in good hands knowing that they have a broadband advocate in Collins. I hope that she continues the fight to extend this funding to guarantee no student in our state is subject to a subpar education because they don’t have reliable internet access. Congress has a lot on its plate right now, but extending funding for the ACP should be a priority.
