A brand new proposal by the Federal Communication Commission would enable using authorities funding to incorporate Wi-Fi onboard faculty buses throughout the nation in an try and bridge the digital divide.

The covid-19 pandemic put a variety of issues into perspective, one in all which was the vitality of dependable expertise. According to a Pew Research Center survey performed in April 2021, 90% of Americans labelled the web as ‘essential’ or ‘important’ throughout the pandemic. In the identical survey, 38% of fogeys with kids in Okay-12 whose faculty was closed because of the pandemic, reported that their kids needed to really depend on public Wi-Fi to finish their assignments. As the pandemic begins to possibly, hopefully, wind down, the digital divide—the hole between sure demographics and entry to expertise like high-speed web—is still wide.

In an effort to shut that divide, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed an answer to extend entry to dependable Wi-Fi for college kids: put it on school buses. “I found that seven in 10 teachers were assigning homework that required internet access,” Rosenworcel stated in a speech on May 11, 2022 to the National Coalition for Technology in Education & Training Council. “But FCC data consistently demonstrated that one in three households do not have broadband at home.” Rosenworcel additionally acknowledged that 17 million students are sufferer to the digital divide (also referred to as the Homework Gap).

The proposal just isn’t solely geared toward giving college students entry to dependable Internet on the way in which to and from faculty, however for individuals who take part in extracurriculars. Rosenworcel says, for instance, that pupil athletes who journey to totally different cities may benefit from the “Wi-Fi on wheels” to finish their homework throughout their commute as a substitute of ready till they get house later that night time. “Every student who rides the bus and feels like they don’t have enough time in the day to get their homework done while juggling activities will benefit,” she stated. It may even be potential to park these buses in entrance of faculties to behave as a Wi-Fi hub.

Funding for the Wi-Fi enabled buses would come from the FCC’s E-Rate program, through which eligible colleges and libraries can apply for monetary assist to extend their broadband connection. Rosenworcel cited bipartisan curiosity in her concept on Capitol Hill, and is hopeful that the proposal will proceed to maneuver alongside.

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