St. Mary’s County will receive $1,685,521 in grant funding to support expanded broadband access for students through the Broadband for Unserved Students Grant.

St. Mary’s County Government and St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) identified 580 households currently underserved. Funded through the grant, cable installation is scheduled to begin in September and SMCPS will order mobile hotspots to fill internet service gaps as well.

From the press release:

Following the meeting, Commissioner President Randy Guy remarked that being awarded this grant “represented the hard work and dedicated focus of the county, working with the Board, to provide students with every opportunity to have a successful school year – even during the pandemic.”

The funds from this grant will supplement approximately $3 million already invested through CARES Act funding used to improve existing internet and cable infrastructure in the county.

See previous Conduit Street coverage: Hogan Announces $10 Million in Grants for Broadband