Zuckerberg Donates $20 Million to Help Schools Get Connected

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have pledged $20 million to a nonprofit working to equip schools with high-speed Internet connections, The New York Times writes. The gift was the couple's second to EducationSuperHighway, following a $3-million donation in 2013.

The nonprofit, launched in 2012 by start-up entrepreneur Evan Marwell, helps schools with slower connections tap into the billions of dollars the federal government makes available for districts to improve Internet access. The group's goals dovetail with Mr. Zuckerberg's support for developing online platforms to tailor education to the needs and interests of individual students, an approach known as personalized learning.

"Fast, reliable broadband is the foundational infrastructure that is needed to bring personalized and digital learning to every child and teacher in America," said Jen Holleran of Startup:Education, the nonprofit that oversees the couple's education giving. Mr. Zuckerberg and Dr. Chan, a pediatrician and former teacher, announced plans last month to open a private school serving low-income families in East Palo Alto, Calif.