The Atlantic Extends Free Digital Access to All U.S. Public High Schools, Unlocking 168-Year Archive

The Atlantic announced it is now providing free digital subscriptions to all public high schools across the United States, granting students, teachers, and administrators unlimited access to its extensive journalism and 168-year archive. This significant educational initiative, which began on September 16, 2025, aims to dismantle financial and technical barriers, thereby fostering informed readership among new generations. The news was disseminated widely, notably by Tom Nichols via a social media post.This comprehensive offering includes full access to all articles, complete magazine issues, podcasts, audio articles, Atlantic Games, and the publication's entire historical collection. Public high schools and districts can register to enable campus-wide access, authenticated by IP address on school Wi-Fi networks, eliminating the need for individual accounts. The program is open to all U.S. public high schools, including comprehensive, magnet, charter, and specialized institutions.Megha Garibaldi, Chief Growth Officer of The Atlantic, underscored the strategic importance of this outreach. "It’s critical for as many students and educators as possible to have access to informed, independent, fact-based journalism," Garibaldi stated in the official press release. She further emphasized, "An informed citizenry is essential to our democracy," highlighting the initiative's broader societal goals.The new program builds on the success of The Atlantic's academic group subscription, launched in July 2023, which has already provided access to over 1.2 million readers across more than 200 colleges, universities, and high schools. The publication has experienced substantial growth, now reporting a record 1.3 million total subscribers. This expansion coincides with a significant investment in its journalistic capabilities, including the addition of nearly 50 journalists this year and broader coverage areas.By making its rich content freely available, The Atlantic aims to reinforce its role as a valuable educational resource and cultivate critical thinking skills among young readers. This move is anticipated to introduce high-quality, fact-based reporting to a diverse student body, promoting deeper engagement with current events and historical context within classrooms nationwide. The initiative reflects a commitment to public service and expanding access to quality information.