January 13, 2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chiefs for Change, a bipartisan network of education leaders, partnered with America’s wireless industry to help close the digital divide and provide more than 2.4 million students with internet connections needed for remote learning. A report released on the partnership highlighted how solutions like wireless hotspots and tablets/laptops with built-in hotspot connectivity were the fastest and most effective way to provide connectivity to students without adequate home internet service.
Funding from the CARES Act was a crucial factor in this effort, with many education leaders hoping these efforts will continue in 2021.
“I’ve seen firsthand how the wireless industry has stepped up at a moment’s notice to connect our kids during COVID,” said Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent and Chiefs for Change member Aleesia Johnson. “But we can’t rest—policymakers must build on these efforts and the CARES Act funding to continue closing the digital divide and supporting the collaborative and innovative approaches that have already paid dividends.”
Source: Chiefs for Change