During the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of reliable internet access for families became a stark reality. With schools transitioning to online learning, many families found themselves without adequate internet connectivity. Educators had to quickly come up with solutions, such as setting up mobile Wi-Fi access points in school buses and providing portable hot spots to students in need.
Even before the pandemic, there was a push to bridge the “homework gap” between students with easy internet access and those without. As schools reopen and relief funds expire, there is a concern that this gap will widen, particularly affecting students of color and underserved communities.
Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Brookings Institution’s Center for Technology Innovation, discusses this issue in her book, “Digitally Invisible: How the Internet Is Creating the New Underclass.” She highlights the reliance on philanthropic and private sector support for internet access programs and calls for new federal legislation to ensure their sustainability.
The E-rate, the main federal program supporting internet connectivity for schools and libraries, was established nearly three decades ago, long before many of today’s essential technologies were in use. Turner Lee emphasizes the need for updated policies to meet the infrastructure demands of modern education.
Turner Lee shares her insights and experiences from traveling the country to understand the challenges of digital access in various communities in this week’s EdSurge Podcast. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts or through the player below.
