article thumbnail

The looming threat that could worsen the digital divide

eSchool News

Key points: Without continued funding, schools and libraries may struggle to maintain or upgrade technological infrastructure See article: 3 ways the E-rate program helps level up learning See article: Will cybersecurity receive E-rate funding?

article thumbnail

The History of the Future of E-rate

Hack Education

Wheeler had been a “champion” of net neutrality and E-rate reform, according to Education Week at least, but his replacement, Trump appointee Ajit Pai, seems poised to lead the agency with a very different set of priorities – and those priorities will likely shape in turn what happens to ed-tech under Trump.

E-rate 49
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Digital divide hits small towns hard

eSchool News

Unfortunately, the digital divide is a very real barrier to success in our community,” said Audra Bluehouse, an English teacher at Hatch Valley High. “We The Hatch Valley schools receive the FCC’s E-Rate initiative, which reimburses schools and libraries for expenses related to internet access.

article thumbnail

How Much Longer Will Schools Have to Scrape Together Technology Funding?

Edsurge

So what will schools do when their now-new laptops wear out in a few years? More than Devices The “digital divide” was not quite a household term two years ago. Only 21 states have any kind of dedicated state funding for technology, and this can range from just digital instructional materials (e.g.

article thumbnail

OPINION: College in a pandemic is tough enough — without reliable broadband access, it’s nearly impossible

The Hechinger Report

This longstanding digital divide for learners of all ages has morphed into a divide that is keeping these vulnerable students offline during a critical period. There are several steps that policymakers can and should take to shrink the digital divide that too many college students currently face.

Broadband 103
article thumbnail

3 Resources to Help Connect Students and Families

Digital Promise

When Howard-Suamico School District went digital, giving every student in grades 3 and up tablets or laptops, the change was immediate and dramatic. “If you didn’t have Internet access outside of school, you could learn in my class, but boy would it be at a different pace and rate and difficulty,” he says.

Resources 120
article thumbnail

Nearly all American classrooms can now connect to high-speed internet, effectively closing the “connectivity divide”

The Hechinger Report

There is still a digital divide in classrooms based on what technology is being used and how. When EducationSuperHighway launched, the Perry-Lecompton school district, in a rural area outside of Topeka, Kansas, still had laptop carts that teachers had to reserve if they wanted students to use computers in their classrooms.

E-rate 48