Mayor Adams Doubles Down on Commitment to Academic Success and Bridging Digital Divide in Under-Connected Communities
Devices with Cellular Connectivity Will Ensure Students Are Able to Get Online Wherever They Live
Phased Rollout Will Include Students in 1,700 Public Schools Across Five Boroughs During 2025-2026 School Year
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Matthew Fraser, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, T-Mobile, Dell Technologies, and New York Yankees All Star Second Baseman, Jazz Chisholm, Jr., today announced that 350,000 K-12 New York City Public Schools students will receive new internet-enabled devices for free during the 2025-2026 school year, as the Adams administration continues to bridge the digital divide and invest in a more affordable city for working-class New Yorkers. The 350,000 students across the nation’s largest public school district will receive LTE or 5G connected Chromebooks with internet access and optimized educational programming to ensure they have the essential tools necessary to succeed in today’s digital learning environment. The proactive, data-driven rollout of this program closes device access gaps in the most affordable way possible for working-class families and replaces outdated equipment that no longer meet current instructional and security standards, while ensuring students have keyboard-enabled devices vital for writing, researching, and completing class assignments. As part of the Adams administration’s continuing efforts to bridge the digital divide, students will be able to use these cellular-connected devices to get online for free wherever they live.
The distribution of these Chromebooks was made possible by the Adams administration after the city came to an agreement with T-Mobile earlier this year to make them a major wireless carrier to support city operations while helping reduce the cost of wireless services for city government employees. As part of the agreement, the 350,000 devices being distributed to students will come equipped with T-Mobile LTE or 5G access.
“Access to reliable technology and high-speed internet is a modern-day necessity, and, right now, too many New York City students don’t have it. That doesn’t just prevent progress inside the classroom, it limits opportunities outside of it — but our administration is changing that and providing our young people with free devices to stay connected in the 21st century,” said Mayor Adams. “We know that too many families are still struggling with the cost of living and cannot always afford new, internet-enabled devices; that’s why, this school year, we are powering up education in our city by providing 350,000 New York City public school students with brand-new, LTE and 5G enabled Chromebooks. This initiative is another part of our continuing efforts to ensure students’ academic success, bridge the digital divide, and be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars. Our administration will continue to work to build a better future for our children, and with this announcement, we are making sure that our young people have all the tools they deserve and the technology they need to go as far as their dreams will take them.”
“As a proud product of New York City Public Schools, I am a testament to the critical role technology access plays in helping our students reach their potential,” said CTO Fraser. “Internet and computer access are essential educational tools both in the classroom and at home. This monumental initiative empowers students across the five boroughs, particularly those in schools with the greatest needs, and reaffirms the Adams administration's unyielding commitment to bridging the digital divide. I commend Mayor Adams' vision and leadership, and thank Chancellor Aviles-Ramos and our corporate partners, T-Mobile and Dell, for helping us to deliver this victory for the nation’s largest school district.”
“As our students graduate into an increasingly connected and tech driven world and workplace, New York City Public Schools is proud to be taking steps to close the digital divide and set our children up for lifelong success,” said Public Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos. “LTE and 5G-enabled devices mean that no matter what kind of internet access a student has at home, they’re still able to log on and take advantage of every educational opportunity available to them as we continue to move our city in a more equitable direction.”
“Every student deserves a fair shot at success — and in today’s world, that starts with having reliable connectivity and the right tools to learn,” said Mo Katibeh, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile Business Group. “New York City’s initiative to deliver leading connectivity to 350,000 kids doesn’t just help close the digital divide — it opens doors to opportunity, equity, and brighter futures for families across all five boroughs. And, as the major wireless carrier for New York City, we’re thrilled to be a part of this initiative.”
“We believe technology has the power to be truly transformative when it’s placed in the hands of those shaping the future,” said Pete Trizzino, president of global sales modernization and GTM, Dell Technologies. “Equipping 350,000 New York City students with internet-enabled devices is about far more than just providing laptops, it’s about unlocking potential, fueling curiosity and ensuring every student has the tools they need to succeed. The work we’re doing with the city, its Office of Technology and Innovation, New York City Public Schools and T-Mobile is empowering the next generation to learn, grow, lead and innovate in building a brighter tomorrow.”
“Education is the foundation for everything, and making sure kids have the tools they need to learn and dream big is something I care deeply about,” said Jazz Chisholm Jr., New York Yankees All Star Second Baseman. “That’s why I’ve been involved in efforts to uplift youth through sports and education through my foundation, the Jazz Chisholm Foundation, and it’s why I’m proud to see programs like this bringing real opportunities to students right here in the Bronx. When our kids win in the classroom, the whole community wins.”
Personal computer devices, such as Chromebooks, are a necessity, not a luxury, for today’s public-school students and are essential to New York City Public Schools’ foremost academic, accessibility, and equity goals. The rollout of 350,000 devices over the coming months will focus on meeting the needs of students who require keyboard-equipped devices for academic instruction and assessments. Regular device usage will prepare students with 21st-century skills, including typing, online research, and responsible internet use.
The Chromebooks will support Google Workspace, New York City Public Schools-approved apps, and state assessment platforms — all of which are central to the school system’s digital curriculum. Devices will allow seamless learning between school and home, regardless of students’ locations. This will be particularly important for students in temporary housing or those living in under-connected communities where home access to a computer may be limited. An estimated 31 percent of Bronx households — the highest of any borough — lack access to a household computer, according to a recent report by the Center for an Urban Future.
All Chromebooks will be configured and enrolled using Google Management Console, which applies New York City Public Schools enterprise settings to ensure secure, standardized access across all devices. Key applications pre-loaded on devices will include:
- Google Workspace for Education: Features widely used programs across New York City Public Schools for instruction, assignments, collaboration, and communication.
- TeachHub: New York City Public Schools’ secure, single sign-on portal for students, teachers, and staff — providing centralized access to digital learning applications, instructional resources, announcements, and integrated tools like Google Classroom, Clever, and iLearnNYC.
- iLearnNYC: Provides access to digital curriculum materials, personalized learning platforms, and New York City Public Schools-approved content aligned to standards.
Devices will come equipped with T-Mobile LTE or 5G access as part of the city’s agreement with T-Mobile earlier this year to become a major wireless carrier to support city operations. In addition to providing students internet access on these Chromebooks, the agreement with T-Mobile saves city taxpayers millions of dollars over the course of the five-year deal on city-issued devices and puts money back into the pockets of the city workforce by offering discounted personal plans through T-Mobile. The partnership also ensures that city employees have access to cutting-edge technology and reliable service to best serve their fellow New Yorkers.
LTE and 5G connected Chromebooks in students’ homes also means that more New Yorkers will receive dependable internet access — an essential resource to fully participate in modern life.
Under the Adams administration, New York City provides more residents with free high-speed internet access than any other city in the nation through Big Apple Connect, the largest municipally subsidized broadband program in the nation. Big Apple Connect offers free access to in-home internet and basic cable TV to 330,000 New Yorkers living across 220 New York City Housing Authority sites and saves subscribers more than $1,700 per year on average. As part of its digital equity initiatives, the Adams administration also supplies free access to internet, devices, and digital skills training at more than 450 public computer centers across the five boroughs.
Today’s announcement comes just one month after Mayor Adams and Chancellor Aviles-Ramos celebrated a substantial increase in reading and math scores for public school children, grades 3 through 8, in the 2024-2025 school year. Under the Adams administration, core educational accomplishments include instituting nation-leading dyslexia screenings for all students, adding 57 Gifted and Talented programs, helping 13,658 students complete work-based learning experiences for the 2024-2025 school year through FutureReadyNYC, cementing new labor contracts for teachers and other education officials, investing $167 million in new funding to secure critical early childhood education programs, dramatically increasing early childhood education enrollment to 150,000 children across the city’s system, and securing mayoral accountability twice in three years while investing $180 million to implement a comprehensive class size reduction plan that provides more individualized care to students.
