Concerns about digital equity are on the rise among IT leaders in K–12 education. Nearly every respondent in a recent survey said he or she had heightened worries about students' home access to devices and the internet, to support remote learning.
Students in rural areas, in areas just outside of suburbs and in areas with high population density (subsidized apartments, mobile home parks) have less access to high-speed internet than their counterparts in cities and suburbs. There’s also an estimates 1.47 million homeless K–12 students in the United States, who also have significant issues with access.
The Federal Communications Commission has finalized rules for a $7.17 billion program that will reimburse schools for 100% of the “reasonable” cost of equipment and services to give students the access to technology they need for remote and hybrid learning.
According to a new report, there are steps schools and districts can take to help improve their students’ home WiFi performance — some at a cost, some using IT staff expertise and legwork.
The current FCC definition of home broadband — 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds — is inadequate for at-home learning, according to researchers who conducted a first-of-its-kind study of district data for students engaged in remote learning.
E-rate received a $7.1 billion boost specifically to cover expenses related to off-campus connectivity. An expert dissects how the ECF could be structured, what it can be used for and how to help your district prepare for its arrival.
New York state has launched an emergency fund to provide an estimated 50,000 students with free internet access.
K-12 students aren't the only ones who have experienced learning loss due to the pandemic. According to new research, children ages 3 to 5 have also lost important learning opportunities over the last year.
A nonprofit that promotes "open, affordable, high-quality broadband connections" has issued a roadmap for 2021, laying out what it will be pursuing in its mission of supplying internet access to an estimated 42 million unconnected people in the United States.
Microsoft has co-launched the "Education Open Data Challenge," to establish the link between broadband access and K-12 learning outcomes.