Great News For Broadband in Mississippi!

PREPS/MS RURAL EDUCATION ASSOCATION has been active in hosting state and national webinars/conference sessions on the need for broadband connectivity for our students and families. We received this note from Brandon Presley, MS Public Service Commisioner this week,

"Yesterday, we received news that Mississippi won over $495 million in the very first round of funding from the FCC’s Digital Opportunity Fund! In fact, we came in second in America as far as funding, with only California beating us. This is the largest amount of funding to come to our state for broadband expansion EVER! Now, each winner of the funds will have to come before the Public Service Commission to be deemed eligible to receive the funds. Right now, information on the areas to be served is not public and in many cases carriers, like our electric power associations, bid as a consortium so we cannot release individual award amounts, but that will be made available as we go through our processes. I just wanted to send you a personal note and say THANK YOU for being an ally of mine in this fight to get these funds to our state. I can assure you that I will work tirelessly to make sure every penny is spent correctly with transparency and proper oversight. It’s really hard to even convey in an email how big of a deal this is. We have taken a giant step for the Magnolia State and YOU are playing a role in keeping this issue on the forefront.

Thank you again for standing with me!"

PREPS/MSREA would like to give a special thank you to Brandon Presley, Connect American Now, Dr. Tyler Hansford, Supt. Union Schools, Dr. Wayne Rodolfich, Supt. Pascagoula-Gautier Schools, Dr. Allen Pratt, NREA Executive Director, Dr. Devon Brenner, NREA Journal Co-Editor! - Dr. Patti Permenter, Co-Chair MSREA and Associate Director PREPS