Tech companies pledge $750M toward President Obama’s ConnectED campaign

To give President Obama’s ConnectED campaign a kickstart, a team of tech companies have come together to pledge more than $750 million in goods, services, and cash, all of which will be used to equip schools with advanced technology.

Obama made the announcement this past Tuesday at a middle school in Maryland. Among the items pledged: computers, tablets, software, internet access, cash, and more.

When he launched his ConnectED education-campaign last June, Obama said that his team would be looking to harness the “ingenuity of the private sector.”

“We picked up the phone, and we started asking some outstanding business leaders to help bring our schools and libraries into the 21st century,” Obama said Tuesday. “Technology can help; it's a tool.”

Among the companies that have responded so far (and what they’re contributing): Verizon will provide cash and technical support; Microsoft will discount its Windows operating system for all public schools, and provide millions of copies of its Office software; Apple will contribute iPads, MacBooks, and other devices; AT&T and Sprint will provide Internet service; Autodesk and O’Reilly Media will provide software.

Most of the companies plan on targeting their donations specifically at low-income schools.

One of Obama’s biggest goals is to bring high-speed Internet to 99% of schools within five years. At present, less than 30% of these buildings have access to broadband.

“In a country where we expect free Wi-Fi with our coffee, we should definitely demand it in our schools,” he declared.

In terms of the government’s contribution to the ConnectED initiative, the Federal Communications Commission will put $2 billion toward the program as a “down payment,” with the goal being to provide at least 15,000 schools and 20 million students with high-speed broadband within the next two years.

Worth noting: This payment does not require approval from Congress, and it will not affect the nation’s deficit.

Obama concluded the announcement by saying he intends on seeking out support from additional private-sector companies so that the ConnectED program is a success.

“I'm going to ask every business leader across the country to join this effort,” he said. “We can make this happen.”

Story via whitehouse.gov