NC S859

Directs the State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction to expand the School Connectivity Initiative to provide home mobile Internet access points to public school students eligible for federally subsidized free or reduced-cost meals.

Requires the State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction to collaborate with the Friday Institute at North Carolina State University on the expansion.

Authorizes use of available federal funds from the CARES Act, Coronavirus Relief Fund, and other federal or state appropriations to support the home mobile Internet access point program.

Appropriates $176,000,000 in nonrecurring General Fund monies to the Department of Public Instruction for fiscal year 2020-2021 to implement the expansion.

Requires the State Board of Education to report on January 15, 2021, with recommendations for broadband access inside and outside classrooms and results from the expansion program.