The Internet Isn’t Optional
The internet is essential for schooling, not a luxury. Teachers and students regularly depend on online tools—about 70% of U.S. teachers assign homework online and roughly 9 in 10 students report getting online assignments at least a few times a month. Yet access gaps persist: national data show that while about 91% of households have a broadband subscription, only about 78–80% of households with incomes below $25,000 do, compared with roughly 96% among higher-income households. Looking at adults by income, just 57% of adults in households under $30,000 report home broadband, and 27% are smartphone‑only—constraints that make homework and group projects harder to complete at home. Cost is the leading barrier to adoption according to federal survey analysis, and entry‑level fixed broadband commonly runs around $60 per month. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) reached more than 23 million households before funding lapsed; benefits were fully funded through April 2024 and ceased after a partial month in May, increasing out‑of‑pocket costs for many families.
Lack of Internet Creates a Barrier to Education
Accessibility
Classroom technology is widespread because it simplifies assignments and expands learning resources. But for low‑income families, affordability and device gaps make at‑home participation uneven. Among adults in households earning under $30,000, only 57% report home broadband and 27% rely on smartphones only; low‑income homes are also less likely to have a desktop or laptop, compounding the challenge (ACS device and subscription data). Cost remains the top reason households go without service (NTIA), and a typical standalone entry‑level fixed broadband plan is about $60 per month.
There are ways to bring that cost down. Households can combine the FCC’s internet service provider low‑income plans—often $10–$30 before fees—with Lifeline (up to $9.25/month off, or up to $34.25 on Tribal lands), where available. Since ACP benefits ended after May 2024 (FCC ACP wind‑down), state digital equity initiatives and Digital Navigator programs are expanding to help families enroll in affordable offers and build digital skills (NTIA Digital Equity Act). These options are generally underused, often because families are unaware or need one‑on‑one enrollment support.
Public internet use
Some students travel to libraries or cafes to get online for assignments, especially in households that are smartphone‑only. The time and transportation required can cut into study hours and make last‑minute submissions or group work harder to manage. Reliable home broadband removes these logistical hurdles and supports consistent access to school portals, video meetings, and research tools.
Data privacy on public WiFi
12% of students report using public Wi‑Fi to complete homework. Thanks to widespread web encryption, most page loads now occur over HTTPS (Google Transparency Report), reducing passive eavesdropping. Risks remain on unfamiliar hotspots—especially from rogue “evil twin” networks and deceptive captive portals—so it’s important to verify secure connections and be selective about which networks you join (NCSC public Wi‑Fi guidance; FTC advice). Some venues now deploy Enhanced Open (OWE) or Passpoint/OpenRoaming (WBA report) to improve guest security.
- Malicious hotspots: Attackers can mimic a trusted network name and lure users into connecting. Verifying the venue’s official SSID and checking that sign‑in pages use HTTPS helps reduce exposure; avoid portals that ask you to install software.
- Unencrypted networks: Legacy “open” Wi‑Fi offers little protection if sites/apps aren’t using end‑to‑end encryption. Prefer venues that advertise WPA3, Passpoint/OpenRoaming, or Enhanced Open, and keep device firewalls on.
- Man-in-the-middle attacks (MitM): Rogue portals and evil-twin hotspots can intercept traffic to phish credentials or inject content. Use MFA on accounts and confirm the site’s URL and lock icon before signing in.
Mobile hotspots
Phone tethering and standalone hotspots are useful backups, but data caps and variable signal make them poor substitutes for primary home broadband. Large hotspot data‑only tiers commonly cluster around 100 GB for about $50–$60 per month—e.g., T‑Mobile Mobile Internet offers high‑capacity tiers, AT&T PREPAID has a 100 GB option around $55/month, and Cricket and Verizon sell comparable connected‑device buckets with throttling after the cap. Performance has improved with broader mid‑band 5G coverage (independent U.S. market reports) and newer hotspot hardware featuring Wi‑Fi 6/6E and Ethernet (e.g., NETGEAR Nighthawk M6 Pro) built on 5G‑Advanced‑class modems (Qualcomm X75). Still, sustained multi‑user schoolwork and uploads often benefit from uncapped, fixed home service.
Challenges for students
1‑to‑1 laptop programs help address device access—many schools now provide a device per student—but connectivity at home remains uneven. A recent U.S. study found students with no home internet or only a cellphone connection had lower grades and standardized test scores and struggled more with homework completion than peers with high‑speed home connections; they also reported lower intentions to attend college (MSU Quello Center). Nationally, millions of children still lack adequate home connections: NCES estimates roughly 6% of 3‑ to 18‑year‑olds had no home internet in the latest data, with higher rates in households in poverty and in rural areas.
Evidence from large‑scale datasets reinforces the link between connectivity and achievement. The Education Recovery Scorecard shows districts with lower home broadband subscription rates experienced larger learning losses and slower recovery in math and reading (Education Recovery Scorecard). Internationally, PISA data associate lacking home internet/devices with substantially lower performance, even after accounting for school‑level socioeconomic factors (OECD PISA 2022). Together, these findings point to higher risk for missed assignments, lower GPA, and delayed progress—key predictors of on‑time graduation.
Internet Programs for Low-Income Students
The type of assignment at hand will place different levels of stress on your internet. For example, using email or basic computer functions may only use around 3-4 Mbps, though video calls for group projects require more bandwidth. College students collaborating in the cloud need enough speed and upload capacity to edit and submit files reliably; media‑heavy projects can take much longer on slower or capped connections.
Address your household’s activities and the number of simultaneous users to select the right plan. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) suggests that households with multiple users and frequent online streaming choose plans that support internet speeds of 12-25 Mbps or higher; larger families and heavy upload needs may benefit from 50–100 Mbps or more. Then compare the assistance options below by speed, price, eligibility, and how well they fit your needs.
Government-funded programs and nonprofits
EveryoneOn
EveryoneOn is a nonprofit that connects low-income families with affordable internet and computer offers by ZIP code and eligibility. It serves as a locator for current ISP low‑cost plans, device refurbishers, and local digital skills resources. EveryoneOn does not directly provide internet service; use its offer locator tool to identify options in your community.
Lifeline
Lifeline offers a discount of $9.25 a month on either your phone or internet costs for families that are at or below 135% of the federal poverty guidelines, and up to $34.25 a month on qualifying Tribal lands. The discount is limited to one service per household and requires annual recertification. If you are interested in applying for Lifeline, you must apply through the National Verifier application system. This centralized system verifies eligibility and allows you to select a participating phone or internet provider. On Tribal lands, the Link Up program can also help with up to $100 toward initial connection charges (Tribal benefits). Programs that qualify for Lifeline:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Tribal assistance programs for Lifeline:
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Tribal Head Start (income-based)
Human I-T
Human I-T is a nonprofit that has partnered with Frontier Communications and its Affordable Broadband program. Instead of recycling electronics, Human I-T reuses donated technology to close the digital divide. Offerings for affordable internet connections and devices vary by location and eligibility, and they also provide digital skills support. To qualify you must participate in at least one of the following:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Section 8 voucher
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income
Provider programs
Government-funded programs are not your only option. Many internet providers offer low-income plans with posted prices typically between $10 and $30 before fees. Leading examples include Comcast Internet Essentials ($9.95/mo; up to 50 Mbps, plus a 100 Mbps “Essentials Plus” at $29.95), Spectrum Internet Assist ($24.99/mo; up to 50 Mbps), Access from AT&T ($10/mo entry tier; around $30/mo for higher‑speed tiers up to 100 Mbps where available), and Cox Connect2Compete/ConnectAssist ($9.95–$30/mo; up to 100 Mbps in many markets). Where available, discounted home internet from Verizon Forward (as low as $20–$35/mo on Fios/5G/LTE Home) or T‑Mobile Internet for Good (around $30/mo) can also reduce monthly costs. If your chosen provider participates, you may be able to apply Lifeline to lower the bill further. In NYC public housing, Big Apple Connect provides no‑cost in‑home service to eligible residents (program details).
How To Save Money If You Don’t Qualify
Unless you are already participating in a low-income assistance program, it’s unlikely you’ll be approved for these special internet deals. So what about families who don’t qualify? Thankfully, there are still tricks you can do to save money on your internet bill and ways to reduce costs.
Additional things you can do to save money:
- Buy your own router. Providers charge $5-$10 a month to rent your equipment, which surpasses the price of a router.
- Read your bill carefully to catch any mistakes or instances where you can cut back
- Shop around for other options and arm yourself with competitor prices
- Negotiate your current plan with your provider
- Take advantage of bundle offers, if you can.
- Assess your internet speed and make sure it lines up with what you’re paying for.
- Opt for slower options if you don’t utilize the high-speed perks.
The Bottom Line
Home internet access supports higher grades, better test performance, and more reliable homework completion—factors linked to on‑time graduation (MSU Quello Center; Education Recovery Scorecard; PISA 2022). With ACP benefits ended after May 2024 (FCC ACP), families can reduce costs by using Lifeline, ISP low‑income plans (e.g., Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T, Cox), and local initiatives such as Big Apple Connect. For enrollment and skills help, look for Digital Navigator services funded through state Digital Equity programs and libraries.
