New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy Announces Millions In Funding For Schools To Close Digital Divide

TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced Thursday millions in funding for schools to close the digital divide. Murphy said that's especially critical for students who will not be able to attend in-person classes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We know that in many communities the majority of our students and educators were able to virtually connect everyday," Murphy said. "But when it comes to educating our kids, I think we can all agree that many and most is simply not good enough."

The governor said he's using a combination of federal CARES Act funding and other funds to spend about $54 million.

He called on the philanthropic community to adopt school districts to pay for the rest.

The New Jersey Department of Education estimates it will cost more than $100 million to fully close the digital divide.