The COVID-19 pandemic brought renewed attention to the digital divide—a term first coined over 25 years ago. Today, nearly all students are back in school buildings, but the need for high-speed internet connections in homes and communities continues to be a huge challenge. By some estimates, this “Homework Gap,” as it is known, affects as many as 12 to 15 million students—meaning up to 30 percent of the K-12 student population may lack a high-speed internet connection in their homes. 

In this webinar, panelists will discuss some of the connectivity challenges facing many school districts across the country. They will also share federal funding opportunities, innovative ideas, and best practices for ensuring that more students have access to high-speed internet in their homes.

 

 

Thursday, December 16

2:00-3:00 p.m. (ET)

Panelists:

Michael Flood, Senior Vice President for Education, Kajeet
Donald Hubler, Vice President, Macomb Intermediate School District, Michigan
Ji Soo Song, Broadband Advisor, U.S. Department of Education
Deborah Rigsby, Director of Federal Legislation, National School Boards Association (Moderator)
 

Additional Resources:

  • Homework Gap Grants: Kajeet’s Homework Gap Grants allow school and community leaders to provide students with safe, reliable access to online educational resources anytime, anywhere. Each grant recipient will receive up to $25,000 worth of Kajeet Education Broadband solutions, including unlimited student data plans, access to Kajeet’s Sentinel platform, and the devices of their choice, including any combination of WiFi Hotspots; School Bus WiFi; LTE-embedded laptops and tablets; and routers.
  • Home Access Playbook: The U.S. Department of Education’s strategy guide for leaders working to bridge the digital divide for students.