Every classroom in New Mexico will get high-speed Internet access by 2018 under a proposal put forth by Gov. Susana Martinez.
Using $49 million in state funds over the next few years, several state agencies and a national nonprofit will partner with local districts to improve infrastructure in schools and bring high-speed connections to every classroom. As of now, more than 30 percent of New Mexico’s school districts don't have access to high-speed Internet.
“I have always believed that every child can learn – no matter their circumstances or background," Martinez says. "But as leaders, we must also give our students the tools they need to succeed. In 2015, that means providing every school with access to high-speed Internet.”
Martinez says the state's Public Schools Facility Authority, the Public Education Department, and the Department of Information Technology, will work with EducationSuperHighway to develop a plan for upgrading facilities: building fiber-optic connections into school districts, upgrading Wi-Fi networks inside schools, and buying Internet bandwidth in bulk. EducationSuperHighway is a national nonprofit focused on upgrading Internet access in schools.
In addition to the $49 million in state funding, New Mexico will work to secure additional funding through federal E-Rate program.
