New Mexico wants K-12 students to get internet from their TV

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico education officials are partnering with public television providers for a stopgap that could ease students’ internet problems.

A pilot program starting in Taos this week connects students to their schools through TV transmissions. New Mexico PBS affiliates are using some of their broadcast bandwidth to send files uploaded by local schools.

Public Education Department officials say eight Taos families now have a device allowing them to connect their TV antenna to a computer to download those files.

Internet access continues to be a problem for rural students.

The pilot program will be expanded to Portales and Silver City.