CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: Participants in the district’s new Mobile Access Program get tips from teacher Daniel Scibienski at a training session held at John Witherspoon School in October. More sessions will take place as the program expands to a total of about 200 eligible students across the district.

The Princeton Public Schools Mobile Access Program (MAP) will be providing all eligible students with free internet access and laptops, with the goal of giving every student in the district, regardless of means, with access to online educational resources to build their academic skills, to enhance communication between home and school, and to increase general knowledge.

So far 20 students in the district — at John Witherspoon Middle School — have received laptops and a Wi-Fi hotspot through the Sprint network, including three gigabytes of internet data each month at no cost.

The Princeton Education Foundation provided funding for this initiative, which will eventually extend to about 200 eligible students across the district. The ultimate goal of MAP is to ensure that every student can complete computer-based assignments and conduct academic research at home. A training session has taken place for the first group of participating families and more sessions will be scheduled as the program expands.

“This program is an extraordinary step forward in ensuring both equity and excellence in the Princeton Public Schools,” stated Superintendent Stephen Cochrane. “By providing electronic access for all, we are not only closing the achievement gap but accelerating our ability to move forward in the use of educational technology for every student.”

Eligibility in the program is determined by a student’s enrollment in the federal free and reduced meals program or the family’s demonstration of other financial needs.