Verizon May Stop Providing Devices to Houston Schools

(TNS) — Houston ISD may lose out on a partnership with Verizon that in the past three years has equipped tens of thousands of students and teachers with free devices and data plans, according to the wireless network company.

Dozens of campuses in HISD participate in the Verizon Innovative Learning Program, an initiative that aims to help close the digital divide by giving students and teachers across the U.S. access to free technology they might otherwise lack. Now, however, Verizon and its nonprofit partner, Digital Promise, have moved to terminate the program in HISD due to an apparent lack of response from the district.

"Digital Promise has made several attempts to continue its partnership with Houston ISD for the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program, and would be delighted to continue the partnership upon the district's response and demonstrated commitment to the program," said Jessica Schuler, a Digital Promise spokesperson, in a Wednesday statement. "It is our goal to continue working with Houston ISD with the understanding that we need a signed MOU between the district and Digital Promise to move forward."

HISD did not respond on Wednesday to an inquiry about the status of the program.

For now, students and teachers can keep their Verizon devices and use them for educational purposes, according to Digital Promise.

In the last decade, the Verizon Innovative Learning program has distributed iPads and Chromebooks, four-year data plans and ongoing technology support in 592 schools across the nation, including at least 36 in HISD and more in the surrounding area, according to the company.

Roughly 600,000 households in Harris County lacked Internet connectivity in 2022, according to census data, an issue that spiked during the pandemic when schools turned to online learning.

The program has reached 56,500 students and 2,500 teachers in HISD since the partnership began in 2020, according to Verizon. The company has invested an estimated $75 million worth of technology, support and data to schools in the Houston area.

Additionally, more than a dozen Verizon Innovative Learning Labs across HISD give students access to hands-on technology tools and equipment like 3D printing stations. It was unclear whether those labs are at risk of closing.

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