Broward School Board Chair Sarah Leonardi proposes expanded at-home Wi-Fi access for students in Coral Springs and across the entire district
Coral Springs, Florida – A push to expand internet access for students beyond the school day is now heading to the Broward County School Board, where leaders will soon decide whether to explore new ways to bring at-home Wi-Fi to families across the district.
The proposal comes from School Board Chair Sarah Leonardi, who represents District 3 and is set to present the item at the board’s upcoming meeting on May 5. The measure would instruct the superintendent to examine possible strategies that could ensure more students have reliable internet access at home.
According to an executive summary prepared for the board, the issue was repeatedly raised during a series of roundtable discussions held throughout the 2025-2026 school year. Those conversations included parents, middle school students, and high school students from across the district.
A consistent concern emerged from those meetings: many students simply cannot complete assignments or fully participate in digital learning because they lack Wi-Fi at home. Some also struggle to access school platforms or communicate with teachers once the school day ends, creating gaps in learning that extend beyond the classroom.
For families in Coral Springs and other parts of Broward County, the problem is not new. While schools have increasingly relied on online platforms for homework, communication, and learning tools, not every household has stable internet service available after school hours.
The district already offers several programs designed to help families connect. According to its official website, qualifying households can access discounted or low-cost internet options through partnerships with private providers and federal programs.
These include Xfinity Internet Essentials, which costs $14.95 per month, and T-Mobile’s Project 10Million, which provides eligible families with a free hotspot and 200 gigabytes of data annually at no cost for up to five years. The district also lists Lifeline-supported phone plans with data as another option for families receiving government assistance.
Officials say the district continues to expand its efforts to close the digital gap.
The district’s website states it will “continue to bolster availability of Internet services for our families through federal, state, and local government programs, along with public-private partnerships.”
Leonardi’s proposal would take that effort a step further by formally directing district leadership to evaluate whether current programs are enough to meet student needs. If the board approves the measure, the superintendent would be required to research additional partnerships, funding opportunities, and possible new approaches to expanding home internet access.
That review would need to be completed and presented back to the board by August 1. After receiving the report, board members would then decide whether to move forward with any of the recommended options.
Supporters of the proposal argue that internet access has become as essential as textbooks in today’s education system, especially as assignments, communication, and classroom materials increasingly move online. Without reliable access at home, they say, students may fall behind even when they are fully engaged during the school day.
At the same time, the proposal raises broader questions about cost, responsibility, and how far school districts should go in addressing needs that extend beyond traditional classroom walls.
For now, the discussion is only beginning. But for many families in Broward County, especially those still struggling with limited or no internet at home, the outcome could shape how students learn long after the final school bell rings.
