Panel Ties Broadband Affordability to Workforce and AI Readiness

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 31, 2025 — Broadband and education advocates said the lapse of federal affordability programs left state and local governments with the burden of keeping students connected, warning that disconnections could derail digital learning and workforce readiness.

In the session on broadband affordability and connectivity, panelists said the expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program and American Rescue Plan funds created an affordability vacuum for millions of households. 

Amina Fazlullah, senior director of equity policy at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit focused on child-safety and privacy in technology, said the nation had entered a “lean federal period” for broadband funding and must now rely on state leadership to preserve affordability.