On November 15, 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, which established the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP provides eligible households up to $30 a month, or $75 a month for households living on tribal lands, toward their internet bills, as well as a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.
Eligibility
All households with a child who was approved to receive free or reduced-price school meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the School Breakfast Program (SBP), within the last 12 months, including children who attend schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, are eligible for ACP benefits. Households are also eligible if a member of a household participates in certain federal benefit programs—including, among others, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, Medicaid, and Federal Public Housing Assistance.
Get the Word Out
Charter schools who participate in NSLP and SBP may be well-positioned to educate eligible households about ACP. The CDE is asking for your help getting out the word to ensure all eligible families in California sign up to save on their internet bills.
Text messages and mail campaigns sent directly to eligible (or likely eligible) populations have the highest response rates and are recommended. Where possible, please reach out to these eligible or likely-eligible households directly.To support your efforts in spreading the word, please feel free to use the following resources:
- ACP Outreach Toolkit—outreach materials from the Federal Communications Commission, including sample factsheets, flyers, public service announcements, text messages, social media posts, and more.
- Outreach partners can request the pre-qualification widget to embed on their own websites by emailing ACProgram@usac.org with the subject line "ACP Widget" for technical support. In the email, please include the web address where you plan to add the widget. The interactive widget includes questions to check eligibility and apply for ACP.
- White House Fact Sheet on the ACP and its benefits.
How Families Apply
Households may apply for the ACP via The White House Get Internet web page or can call 877-384-2575. NSLP and SBP households applying directly through the ACP website may need to show documentation proving their current participation in the NSLP and SBP if their eligibility cannot be confirmed with other personal identifying information. This may include presenting the household’s school meals approval letter or other current official documentation.
Resources and Contact Information
If you have any questions or need assistance regarding this subject, please contact your School Nutrition Program (SNP) Specialist. A list of SNP Specialists is available on the CDE’s SNP Specialist Directory web page. You can also email SNPinfo@cde.ca.gov to request the contact information for your assigned SNP Specialist.
