Key points:

• Adopting and preparing for the future of technology in education isn’t simple
• See article: Reliable internet and Wi-Fi in schools should be top priority
• See article: How 5G connectivity supports K-12 innovation
• For more news on Wi-Fi in schools, visit eSN’s IT Leadership page

Raise your hand if your school is one hundred percent ready for whatever technology inventions and adoptions will come over the next three to five years. This means you know exactly what technology will best benefit your students and teachers, you know exactly what it will cost to upgrade, and you know exactly how to update your technology without any interoperability or other issues.

If we were in a room right now, some people would actually have their hands raised. Are you one of the few, or do you need to know what they know? If the latter, let’s take a look at how to prepare for emerging trends in education and the future of technology in education.

We can all agree technology is indispensable

While everyone has their own opinions of technology, we can all agree that technology and edtech resources aren’t going anywhere. They have a place in our schools and many school objectives can’t be achieved without it. Technology in the classroom helps enrich lesson plans, and there’s the not insignificant point that students need to be familiar and comfortable with technology if they are to succeed post-school. Also, technology is used to communicate with parents, keep schools secure, ease the responsibilities of staff and administrators, control building systems, and more.

It’s because of this that adopting and preparing for new innovations in education–and for the future of technology in education–isn’t a simple process. It involves far more than picking up the latest mobile device and downloading one or two educational apps. There are thousands of edtech options, as well as other applications, IoT devices, and infrastructure needs to consider.

For example, now that the bottlenecks in the supply chain are behind us, technology adoption can happen faster. However, before any change to a school’s network, IT needs to be able to answer a few important questions. If a school wanted to transition to WiFi 6E, now that the technology is more readily available, IT would need to know:

• Does the network design need to change? Will access points (APs) need to be moved at all to support the 6GHz spectrum, which provides different coverage than the 2.4 and 5GHz spectrums?
• Do we have the ability to monitor three frequency bands, nonstop?
• Can interoperability and other issues be identified and resolved in real time?
• Which departments or floors in a school will most benefit from the upgrade? What are current and long-term utilization trends?

Ultimately, what schools require is visibility into current and future technology needs.

What technology is the future of education? Automated Wi-Fi monitoring is an ever more integral tool

With so many different needs dependent on technology, technology itself and both the wired and Wi-Fi networks that it depends on are critical to schools across the nation. Maintaining these networks in an optimized state, and prepping them to be always future-proofed, are tasks only possible with automated Wi-Fi monitoring. It’s these solutions that let people “raise their hands” when we asked our opening question. Here’s why.

Automated Wi-Fi monitoring provides:

• 24/7 analysis of the entire network environment
• Proactive alerts at the first sign of a potential problem
• Automatic recommendations for quick problem resolution
• Historical analytics to identify long-term performance and behavior trends, and predict future needs
• Device recognition

Replicating these deliverables without an automated solution would require an IT team of thousands that could monitor every single device and application, 24/7, and analyze thousands of data packets every second. This is not possible.

Why are these capabilities needed? Because schools that want to optimize their current networks and cost-effectively prepare for the future of technology in education need networks that are completely free of mystery and user experience issues. They need:

• Complete, real-time visibility into the performance and security of every device connected to the Wi-Fi (provided with 24/7 analytics)
• The ability to resolve problems before user experience is impacted, and significantly reduce the number of issues on the network (provided with proactive alerts and automatic recommendations)
• Advance knowledge as to how network utilization has changed over the last month or year (provided with historical analytics)
• Insight into what a network needs to remain optimized into the future (provided with historical analytics)
• Details on the capabilities of every device so that schools can efficiently budget for network-wide upgrades, such as transitioning to Wi-Fi 6E (provided with device recognition)

It’s insights that matter, not simply data or alerts. Automated Wi-Fi monitoring should make it easier for IT professionals to work smarter, not harder.

The visibility provided by these solutions is also an important factor in ensuring the security of school networks. As virtual learning grows, schools are facing the complexity of more devices on the network and more opportunities for security to be challenged. The best way to prevent attacks and swiftly recover from attempted attacks is with a solution that automatically alerts IT to any suspicious activity and suspicious devices, provides recommendations for resolving security issues, and proactively monitors wired and Wi-Fi networks. With automated monitoring solutions, schools have intelligent eyes on the network, 24/7.

Be a leader in the future of technology in education

Every school has unique technology challenges and requirements. Leading the way in the innovative adoption of technology means much more than buying the latest gadget or updating to the latest Wi-Fi standard. It means understanding the role of technology in the future of education. It means understanding your users’ needs and surpassing their expectations at all times. Learn how to look within your network and understand it like never before with automated Wi-Fi monitoring, and the future will be in your hands.

Key points:

• U.S. districts are making progress on school internet connectivity speeds
• See article: High-speed internet is a basic learning necessity–not a luxury
• See article: Technology tools for teaching and learning
• For more news on internet connectivity, visit eSN’s IT Leadership page

Seventy-four percent of districts (9,573) across the country now have school internet connectivity at speeds that are sufficient to support digital learning in their classrooms every day–impacting 27.1 million students, an increase of over 5 million students since 2022.

Do all students have access to the internet?

The latest statistics come from Connected Nation’s (CN) Connect K-12 Program’s 2023 Report on School Connectivity, released in collaboration with Funds For Learning (FFL). 

The annual report, now in its fourth and final iteration, includes findings on the nation’s progress toward meeting the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) bandwidth goal of 1 Mbps per student and combating a lack of internet access–and the effects of lack of internet access–for students.

“A critical finding is that school districts that are meeting the 1 Mbps per student goal are also getting access at a much lower rate than those districts not meeting that benchmark,” said Emily Jordan, Vice President of Education Initiatives, CN. “In fact, the cost is substantially higher for those school districts not meeting that level of connectivity. The good news is school and state leaders can leverage CK12’s free and easy-to-understand data to better navigate the market when negotiating new internet contracts — giving them the information they need to obtain better rates for their budgets and better connectivity for their classrooms.”

In 2023, the national median cost per megabit for districts meeting or exceeding the school internet connectivity speed goal dropped to just 85 cents. In comparison, those districts not meeting the goal are paying well above that median price at $1.55 per megabit. 

“This demonstrates that the FCC’s goal is not just attainable, it actually benefits school districts in several ways,” said Jordan. “Students and teachers are getting the connectivity they need in every classroom, every day, and the districts are potentially saving money.”

The data on internet access in schools in the 2023 Report on School Connectivity was compiled and analyzed by CN in partnership with FFL and is available to the public on the ConnectK12.org website. 

How does lack of internet access affect students?

The free site aggregates, analyzes, and visualizes federal E-rate data and provides internet pricing and speed transparency that equip state and district leaders with critical information on school connectivity and affordability–key statistics that help district leaders advocate for edtech resources as they work to eradicate a lack of access to technology in education. Key takeaways from this year’s Connectivity report include: 

• 74 percent of all U.S. school districts now meet or exceed the FCC goal
  • That’s an increase of 57.4 percent since 2020 
     
• 16 states now have 80 percent or more of their districts at 1 Mbps per student
  • Only nine states met the goal in 2022
     
• Kentucky saw the biggest leap from 2022 to 2023
  • Jumping from 49^th in the country to 5^th with 97 percent of districts now having access to the FCC benchmark
     
• 3,330 of the nation’s 12,911 school districts are not yet meeting the goal

How does access to technology affect education?

Access to technology, especially technology and tools powered by the internet, is essential for learning.

Technology transforms K-12 education by enhancing engagement, personalizing learning, and fostering collaboration. Edtech tools like immersive experiences, educational apps, and online platforms empower educators to create dynamic, interactive lessons.

This digital evolution equips students with essential skills, preparing them for a future where technology plays an integral role in every aspect of society.

Why students should have internet access at home

When it comes to digital equity, U.S. schools are well-positioned to help families get online with low-cost, high-speed internet options through the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), according to a new study from Discovery Education and Comcast.

However, the study also found that educators lack centralized resources and direct support necessary to successfully overcome barriers to the digital divide. Released to help support this year’s Digital Inclusion Week theme of “Building Connected Communities,” key findings include: 

• Nearly all educators surveyed feel strongly that digital equity is more important today than ever before. 
• 82 percent of families and 80 percent of educators surveyed feel strongly that high-speed Internet at home is extremely important to fulfilling learning outcomes. 

Home internet access is essential if students are to complete homework and assignments, access research tools, and build digital skills to carry them through college and the workforce.

Key points:

• Access to dependable high-speed internet is an essential for educators and students
• As learning becomes more tech-based, spotty and unreliable internet connections hamper instruction
• See related article: 4 ways admins can support teachers’ technology use

Connected Nation’s 2022 Report on School Connectivity notes that one-third of school districts–23.5 million students–still need improved access to the internet and digital learning. Without access to reliable internet and Wi-Fi-dependent devices, students and teachers face disadvantages, and schools can have a hard time meeting their educational goals.

Let’s look at why that is–and what can be done to ensure connectivity in every classroom.

Disadvantages caused by poor internet and Wi-Fi connectivity

Schools are turning more and more to technology and devices to support e-learning goals, life skills, and instructive and fun activities.

Poor connectivity–such as dead zones, dropped signals, or long buffering times–can mean:

• Students face obstacles completing classwork
• Students lack tech-related skills and digital literacy, especially if the classroom is the only place they have access to Wi-Fi technology
• Educators can’t supplement their teaching with online resources
• Stress levels rise if issues happen during online testing
• Staff have issues completing tasks
• Parents have trouble communicating with schools

Any issue can mean teachers lose countless minutes trying to troubleshoot the problem, adapt lesson plans, and keep children engaged. Those minutes–and potential frustrations–add up throughout a school year. No school wants to be a space that limits learning opportunities. This means that the Wi-Fi and the internet must be an always-available resource for every person on campus.

What is needed for reliable internet connectivity and Wi-Fi in schools

How do schools make and keep promises of reliable Wi-Fi for all? They must have:

• IT professionals
• Real time issue alerts
• Real time and historical analytics
• Remote troubleshooting

IT professionals: IT professionals are an integral part of any school. They monitor the hundreds or thousands of connected devices, troubleshoot problems, make recommendations on upgrades, and keep everything running smoothly. However, with so many devices, and taking into account the fact that network behavior can change in a second, there are tools and solutions that schools should have on hand to support IT. For example, IT cannot analyze the behavior of every device in real-time. Yet, real-time analytics are needed to ensure issue-free, reliable networks. IT can also not be in more than one place at a time, but many are responsible for more than one school. This is why solutions that offer remote troubleshooting are so helpful.

Real-time issue alerts: When issues occur, IT must be alerted immediately so that resolutions can be implemented at once. Frequently, in schools (and all environments), issues are intermittent. They can seemingly resolve themselves in minutes, and it can be tempting not to submit an issue report right then and there. However, this leads to IT being told hours/days after the fact that there was a problem. When the issue recurs, as it almost inevitably will, the same thing happens. IT is now left with outdated information and teams have to scan through pages and pages of management data to try and discover what was happening at the time of the issue.

This is incredibly time consuming.

With real-time alerts, IT knows the instant an issue occurs. Some tools and solutions will also identify the root cause of the issue, again saving IT significant time. With these alerts, problems are debugged and resolved quickly, improving network behavior now and in the future.

Real-time and historical analytics: Real-time analytics and insights keep IT informed of network behavior and performance throughout the day. With this data, IT confidently knows that the network is behaving as expected and meeting all user needs. If performance changes, IT teams have the insights needed to address any problems.

Historical analytics add value in two ways:

1. They give IT insight into what occurred when no one was onsite–either overnight, over a holiday, when IT was at a different location, etc.
2. They highlight long-term behavior and performance trends. Decision makers can use these trends to identify upgrade/update needs, keeping the network future-proofed and budget friendly.

Remote troubleshooting: IT professionals need the ability to solve problems from any location at any time. Any resolution implementation that requires travel, requires students and teachers to spend more time with the problem. This is true whether IT must drive across town or walk from one end of a building to another. Travel means resolution delays. Remote troubleshooting removes travel from the equation, allowing problems to be resolved faster.

Another benefit to remote troubleshooting is that IT teams don’t have to have access to hard-to -each or busy locations to identify and resolve problems. This means they don’t have to interrupt classroom time or try to reach devices fixed to the ceiling of an auditorium, or in a stadium.

Support education with reliable connectivity

Find the best tools and solutions for your school that provide these capabilities and you will experience a difference. There are individual tools, all-in-one solutions, and Wi-Fi automation solutions. Wi-Fi automation returns time to IT and saves schools money by automating the detection, notification, and mitigation of Wi-Fi issues. These solutions analyze the entire network environment and are vendor agnostic. With so many resources dependent on the internet and the Wi-Fi, don’t let connectivity slip to the bottom of your priorities. Support students, teachers, and staff with the tools they need to surpass all academic goals, this year and every year.

Related:
With greater access to devices, teachers are folding more tech into instruction
Collaborative edtech tools are changing the game for student engagement

Key points:

• An ISTELive 23 session spotlights what district IT leaders are doing to ensure anytime, anywhere access and connectivity for all students
• Having the support of the superintendent is critical to any district trying to achieve a digital transformation
• See related article: High-speed internet is a basic necessity–not a luxury–when it comes to learning

Having reliable, high-speed internet access isn’t a privilege—it’s an absolute essential right for students if they are to have access to the digital learning resources and tools that will help them build skills for future success.

At ISTELive 23, Dr. Kiesha King, senior education administrator for T-Mobile and a former educator, sat down with educators in districts partnering with T-Mobile to examine how 5G connectivity is working in schools and districts across the nation.

“We’re not talking about doing something that’s optional for kids. We’re talking about changing the landscape of how they do education, changing the impacts of the future workforce, changing the way kids interact with their learning environment,” King said.

When we talk about student connectivity it has to be within the framework of how it’s going to drive overall student success, how can we align that with our district’s strategic plan and our instructional model, and grow that from there. What have you done with T-Mobile from an innovation perspective and where is it going in the future?

“I always say we live in the age of the connected students. Students who come to Morehouse College are already connected to 5 devices” including their TVs streaming, game systems, laptops, desktops, tablets, Apple watches, and cell phones, said Dr. Muhsinah Morris, Metaversity director and professor at Morehouse College. “They’re already really connected in every way to some network.”

Morris gives students yet another device when she hands out Metaquest headsets to students in her course—and those devices need connectivity.

“If we’re in a broadband desert, that presents a huge problem. Our servers were only built to sustain 2,200 students on their devices. Since COVID, students have returned to campus and have more devices than before, and we’ve added a device to their arsenal. That’s put a real strain on network,” she said. “One of the things T-Mobile did was save us from that–in order for our students to have a good experience learning in immersive VR, there can be no latency, no lag, no drops. That make students not want to be a part technological solutions.”

When they’re in the Metaversity, students are actively learning by doing and using all their senses. “The experience is only as good as the connection, and we found that that’s foundational. When students were hybrid, we didn’t really see those issues. When they came back, it changed the game and kept our program running,” Morris said.

“When I started, the T-Mobile partnership was instrumental in going forward. In 2020, the district was not one-to-one—seven to 10 percent of our population couldn’t do anything at home because they didn’t have connectivity and access,” said Andrew Allen, the executive director of information systems/CIO in the East Aurora School District 131.

“Making sure we have internet access and training, teaching kids how to get on Google Meets, teaching them how to meet with teachers, and helping teachers figure out that process–without T-Mobile’s assistance in getting to that point, we wouldn’t be one-to-one and we wouldn’t have been successful in that rollout. We had the devices; we just weren’t there yet. It’s imperative that we had that rolled out and done.”

“Connectivity is just as important, if not more important, than having a device,” said Dr. Kermit Belcher, the chief information officer for Jefferson County Schools. “Our superintendent says it’s a moral imperative for students to have those resources. And it takes the superintendent having that mindset. It’s easy to buy a device, but changing mindsets is one of the hardest things to do.”

During the pandemic, the district’s superintendent challenged district leadership groups to come up with a vision for the district’s future state of education. To achieve this digital transformation, the district took some major steps forward.

“We knew we needed to close the access and opportunity gap,” Belcher said. “We decided as a district that every student would have a device; every student would have connectivity at school and at home. We decided to work with [T-Mobile] on the connectivity, the digital resources, and the cybersecurity. It shouldn’t be up to where you live, what school you go to–this is the baseline every student should have.”

Related:
Private wireless is the key to K-20 digital transformation

Educational institutions across the United States are investing in digital technologies that, aside from transforming the learning experience, promise to improve campus operations, security and communications, and open the door to new e-services for students and staff. To realize the promise of digital transformation, schools at all levels (K-20) need solutions that can extend secure and reliable broadband connectivity campus wide.

Schools and higher educational institutions typically rely on Wi-Fi and Ethernet for connectivity. So, it’s no surprise that that many are upgrading or extending their Wi-Fi networks to prepare for digitalization. But Wi-Fi has limitations in important areas such as multi-user capacity, coverage, reliability, security, and mobility. It’s also prone to disruptions caused by interference and obstacles. These limitations could keep institutions from reaping the full benefits of broadband and digitalization.

Fortunately, there’s a better alternative. Private wireless networks (4.9G/LTE and 5G) enable institutions to use standardized cellular technologies and new spectrum options – including unlicensed spectrum in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band – to meet the stringent demands of digital applications. By complementing their existing Ethernet and Wi-Fi infrastructure with dedicated cellular connectivity, institutions can provide broadband connectivity for everyone and everything, and support a new generation of campus services.

A private wireless network offers better coverage than public mobile networks, particularly in rural areas. With private wireless, the institution owns or subscribes to it as-a-service and manages the network, which provides a critical connectivity foundation as part of the campus infrastructure.

Wireless connectivity for the digital campus and beyond

With a private wireless network, a school or institution can provide secure, high-performance connectivity for staff and students and power applications in every part of the campus, including:

• Classroom and digital productivity tools such as smart boards and smart podiums
• Safety and security systems such as cameras, smoke detectors, emergency call buttons and surveillance drones
• Communications applications such as VoIP/PBX, push-to-talk and push-to-video services
• Digital billboards that can display general, emergency or wayfinding information
• Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) classrooms that can be accessed remotely
• Enhanced connectivity for student residences, including affordable high-speed internet, emergency calling and smart home services
• E-services for dining, event ticketing, housing services, community engagement and more

A private wireless network can also help schools and local authorities bridge the digital divide by bringing broadband access to all students. For example, schools in urban areas could use private 4.9G/LTE networks to provide reliable high-speed internet to unconnected households. In rural areas, schools could combine private wireless with Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) gateways deployed in or near students’ homes. Students could then access the internet using any standard laptop, tablet, or smartphone.

Why private wireless is right for K-20 institutions

These networks are an ideal choice for digital campus applications because they can deliver the same levels of reliability, predictability, and security as Ethernet local area networks (LANs) while supporting wireless and mobile communications. Private wireless is a standards-based broadband technology that’s been proven in public networks for more than a decade. In addition, it provides a direct upgrade path to 5G technology, the next global wireless standard, which will bring entirely new possibilities to campuses with higher speeds, lower latency, and massive capacity.

Private wireless networks also offer significant advantages over Wi-Fi with respect to critical communications. For example, 4.9G/LTE technology provides performance that exceeds the capabilities of Wi-Fi consistently. A single small cell can meet the capacity and connectivity needs of hundreds of students, workers, devices, machines, or sensors. It can also support a high density of devices in a given area, which is common in busy campus environments.

Educational institutions that choose this network technology will be able to count on several essential capabilities to take their campuses into the digital era, including pervasive coverage that can overcome obstructions to provide reliable coverage for people, sensors, machines and vehicles throughout the indoor and outdoor campus; predictable performance that can combine high data rates with low end-to-end latency to remain stable and predictable as more users connect and loads increase; and reliable connectivity that handles interference by adapting radio efficiency, device encoding and resource use in real time – delivering up to 99.999% reliability for high-priority users.

Likewise, institutions will also receive high multi-user capacity to provide enough capacity to support several hundred active users and thousands of connected devices per small cell. For reference, the performance of a Wi-Fi access point drops quickly when more than a few dozen devices connect.

Additionally, they can also count on strong cybersecurity, as LTE networks applies end-to-end encryption, strong ciphering and secure authentication for all users and devices, which will be made even stronger with 5G. Lastly, institutions can also receive full mobility as both technologies adhere to global standards that require full, seamless mobility to support use cases that involve moving people, machines, and vehicles – something that Wi-Fi was not designed to do.

What’s more, a private wireless network offers the flexibility, capabilities and performance required to support all types of traffic and a virtually unlimited number of use cases. Any K-20 institution can consolidate its digital services and applications on one private wireless network.

Private wireless deployments can also be tailored to the unique needs of any institution. They can be scaled up or down, adapted to cover indoor and outdoor spaces or integrated with existing Ethernet and Wi-Fi networks as needed.

Some institutions may opt for a DIY approach that involves integrating a mix of building blocks such as Wi-Fi access points, internet routers and open-source software. But many lack the technical skills and resources needed to succeed with these efforts. And although DIY solutions may look cheaper on paper, they usually turn out to be more expensive after commissioning.

Why schools should invest in private wireless now

Rapid technology evolution and adoption are making it essential for schools, colleges, and universities to digitalize the tools and services they use and provide on their campuses. To make a quick and successful digital transformation, these institutions will need new, high-performance wireless connectivity solutions. Private wireless solutions based on 4.9G/LTE, evolving to 5G, technology can address this need by providing the security, reliability, coverage, mobility, capacity, and flexibility that digital applications demand. These solutions are available for deployment today. By moving to private wireless now, schools will be ready to support new campus services that can keep pace with the fast-changing needs of students and staff.

Americans overwhelmingly believe that high-speed internet access is a basic necessity, according to a new survey from Kajeet. Additionally, this need for connectivity is not new, as nearly 75 percent of respondents believed high-speed internet was important even before the pandemic began more than two years ago. The survey also finds that 64 percent of U.S. adults are worried about their ability to pay for a high-speed internet connection at home, drawing attention to the opportunity gap and homework gap many students face.

The digital divide–the gap between people who have access to modern information and communications technology and those who do not – is a major issue. Access to the internet has become a necessity in almost all aspects of life today, including education, healthcare, remote work, etc. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), however, an estimated 14.5 million Americans lack home broadband access. For these 14.5 million people, not having access to the internet is a disadvantage.

High-Speed Internet is a Necessity, Not a Luxury

In the survey, 7 in 10 respondents (70 percent) said they agree with the statement “high-speed internet is a basic necessity,” with 37 percent saying they “strongly agree” and 33% saying they “somewhat agree.” Only 11 percent said they “somewhat disagree” or “strongly disagree.” When asked if they agree with the statement that governments (local, state, federal) should provide free high-speed internet connectivity to all Americans, 43 percent said they “strongly agree,” 29 percent said they “somewhat agree,” and 13 percent said they either “somewhat disagree” or “strongly disagree.”

Student Access to High-Speed Internet Was Critical Before the Pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world in 2020, the digital divide and the critical need for high-speed internet connectivity, especially for learning, became much clearer to many people. But this need existed well before the national health crisis. When asked how important or unimportant respondents felt that at-home, high-speed internet access was for K-12 students’ learning before the pandemic, an overwhelming majority (70 percent) of respondents said it was important. When asked the same question about the importance of high-speed internet connectivity for learning post-pandemic, the same number of respondents (70 percent) said it was important.

Yes, I Need It, but Can I Afford It?

While a majority of Americans (70 percent) said they believe high-speed internet is a basic necessity, more than 6 in 10 (64 percent) said they are worried about their ability to pay for a high-speed internet connection at home. When asked how worried they were, 27 percent said “very worried,” 37 percent said “somewhat worried.” When asked what three activities would pose the greatest struggle if they were to lose high-speed internet at home, 42 percent said business/work, 38 percent said healthcare, 35 percent said accessing smart home devices and systems and 35 percent said schoolwork.

Parents With School-Aged Children Are Frustrated

• Schools Can Help: When parents with school-aged children were asked what they felt their children’s school could have provided to make online/distance learning more accessible, 61% said “high-speed internet,” 46% answered “technical support for necessary devices,” and 44% said “devices such as tablets or laptops.”
• Schoolwork Doesn’t End at School: When asked about which activities at home require high-speed internet access, 42% of parents with school-aged children stated schoolwork for themselves or their children. More than half (52%) said that business/work also required a high-speed connection.
• Remote Learning is Not Always Possible from Home: When asked all of the reasons Americans, or someone in their household, have had to leave home to access high-speed internet, 49% said “to complete homework,” and 44% said, “to attend online classes.”
• Degrees of Separation: Almost half of U.S. adults surveyed (41%) have either struggled themselves to access internet connectivity for learning in the last year or know someone who has.
• Need for Access to Better Technology to Support Online Learning: Nearly a quarter of parents with school-aged children (24%) said their children’s schools have not provided adequate technology to support online/distance learning over the past year.
• Online Learning is Here to Stay: When asked which type of learning model they prefer for their children going forward post-pandemic, almost half of parents with school-aged children (44%) stated a preference for a hybrid model (mix of both in-person and virtual), less than one-third (32%) prefer 100% in-person, and 11% said they prefer fully virtual learning.

Other key findings include:

• Internet Access Everywhere is Important: Almost three-quarters (72%) of U.S. adults believe it is important to have an internet connection they can take with them and use outside their home, such as a Wi-Fi hotspot, a Wi-Fi device, internet-embedded devices, etc.
• Remaining Connected is Essential: When asked about the importance of having high-speed internet access at home, 65% said they found at-home connectivity is important, which includes one-third (37%) saying “very important.”
• Speed and Quality Problems are Common: When asked how often respondents have experienced speed or quality problems with their high-speed internet connection at home during the past year, Americans are experiencing frustrations: 20% said “always;” 21% said “often;” 26% said “sometimes;” 10% said “rarely;” and only 3% said “never.”
• Home is Not Always Where High-Speed Internet Is: Over the last year, nearly three-quarters of adults (73%) said they had to leave home at some point to access high-speed internet.

“The results of this national survey highlight the widely-held belief among Americans that everyone needs to be connected to the Internet. The data clearly show that as the world opens after the pandemic, the need for reliable connectivity is necessary, and makes our society and economy more vibrant and resilient,” said Daniel J.W. Neal, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Kajeet. “The survey provides key insights into the types of activities outside of education that require connectivity, such as access to a wide range of healthcare and employment opportunities. With many Americans concerned about how they will pay for this necessary connection, it is essential that more steps are taken to ensure affordable and robust Internet connectivity.”

This press release originally appeared online.

As thousands of educators, entrepreneurs, and investors gathered at the recent ASU+GSV Summit, a growing number recognized both the need and opportunity for educational innovation in developing countries, particularly for the over 250 million children who lack access to schools.

But many of the solutions proffered still focus on internet-based solutions. Glaringly missing from the landscape are adaptive, digital learning solutions that are offline.

While we work to increase universal access to the internet, the edtech ecosystem cannot ignore the hundreds of millions of children currently without connectivity but who are eager to learn.

The offline opportunity

To illustrate this need and opportunity, consider the case of Africa.

The continent’s share of the global population is projected to grow from 17% in 2020 to 26% in 2050, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Dynamics. The need for scalable, effective, and tech-enabled learning will grow significantly as well, as there will be 450 million children born in Africa in the 2020s and more than 550 million in the 2040s.

The International Finance Corporation reports, however, that only 22% of Africans have access to the internet, and likely less than 5% of the most underserved children.

Even if these children could get access to the internet, most would find it cost-prohibitive to learn how to use it. That’s because the cost of data wouldn’t allow them to learn on these platforms, much less learn well—similar to how individuals in upper-income countries had internet access 15 years ago but weren’t using it to stream movies.

As a result, these children need an offline digital solution that adapts to the learning needs of the child.

“Access to world-class learning that is not dependent on internet connectivity, or the power grid, is key to serving hundreds of millions of children right now,” said Joe Wolf, CEO of the nonprofit Imagine Worldwide (where I am a board member).

Imagine Worldwide, which I’ve written about here before, partners currently with local organizations in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa to provide child-directed, tech-enabled learning that is accessible, effective, and affordable.

Children drive their own learning at their own pace by using interactive software that provides a complete, research-based curriculum and pedagogy. The learner accesses the software on a tablet, which functions without connectivity and can be charged by solar power. Intermittent access to the internet allows the software provider to collect data and update content accordingly.

What’s more, it costs less than $10 per child per year, including the cost of the digital learning curriculum, accessories, the power stations, shipping, and implementation support. As these interventions scale, the cost is also declining.

Increased evidence of impact

This learning solution that works for offline students shows immense promise. A two-year randomized controlled trial that Imagine Worldwide conducted with children in Malawi showed statistically significant learning gains in literacy and math despite multiple COVID-induced disruptions.

The highlights were:

• 4.2 months of additional literacy learning after 13 months of disrupted schooling;
• 72% of students attained emergent or fluent mathematics status;
• 50% more children advanced on national literacy benchmarks;
• Girls benefited at least as much as boys, in stark contrast to the results in standard classrooms in similar environments.

There was also promising evidence of improved engagement, with the data showing better attendance, behavior, and attitudes toward learning.

Galvanizing action

Students in these environments will likely gain access to the internet, but it’s going to take a while. Investments in these offline solutions can, fortunately, pay off immediately for these children and provide many of the benefits of online solutions at a lower cost.

And, in classic disruptive innovation fashion, these same solutions will improve as these students do gain internet access over time, so there’s no wasted investment.

What that means is that it’s time to start scaling these edtech solutions that meet the needs and conditions of the tens of millions of the most underserved children.

Imagine Worldwide reports robust demand for its program across sub-Saharan Africa, with significant opportunities to scale to millions of students in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania—in both government schools and refugee camps.

It also means that funders should begin to search for ways to invest in more edtech solutions that address this need and opportunity.

Some of these solutions may be locally-based, for-profit opportunities that take advantage of the ingenuity of entrepreneurs to create solutions tailor-made for the local circumstances. By way of analogy from outside of education, these examples might look like Copia, a Kenyan e-commerce startup that helps rural populations buy basic goods, or Metro African Express, a Nigerian ride-hailing company that uses motorcycles, not cars. That’s a better fit for the African context than car ride-sharing companies, for example.

Others may be by inducing top edtech companies to craft solutions for the hundreds of millions of children who are offline or to create open-source solutions on which local entrepreneurs can build.

All of these pathways hold immense promise. But they require the edtech sector to think not just about online-learning solutions, but also about digital solutions that are offline and put children in the driver’s seat.

The need is acute, the technology is accessible and massively scalable, and proof points backed with robust research exist. It’s time to act.

Schools are officially in the age of technological learning. There are 1:1 programs, hybrid classrooms, free online learning platforms, eLearning applications and assessments, video collaborations, and the expectation of more to come with developments in augmented and virtual reality technologies.

While useful, these technologies can come with challenges. This includes:

• A need for reliable internet connectivity,
• Ongoing maintenance, and
• Ongoing optimization

The good news is that schools have access to free funds that will address all of these challenges thanks to the E-rate program. Here’s how to use it to best support student and teacher success.

Reliable internet connectivity

First and foremost, schools need efficient, reliable, and optimized internet connectivity to support all technologies. Without this foundational support, there can be no eLearning. Since many devices and technologies need Wi-Fi, the E-rate application period is the time to optimize your wireless network.

Funds can be used to improve Wi-Fi performance in a number of ways. Eligible products and services fall under two categories. Category One consists of services that provide and support data transmission and/or Internet access. Installation and activation charges are included as eligible costs.

Category Two includes the internal connections needed to support connectivity, as well as services that manage and operate internal connections, including automated management and optimization platforms. Cloud-supported services, basic maintenance, installation, activation, and initial configuration expenses are all considered eligible.

To best determine your school’s needs, review any and all historical analytics. If you don’t have a system that analyzes and saves historical data, make two lists. The first should list all problems experienced over the last year, such as:

• Dead zones
• Slow connectivity and transmission speeds
• Interoperability problems
• Slow problem resolution (be specific as to the cause – was data capture difficult making problem identification complex? Was travel difficult for IT teams?)

The second should list expected needs for the next three to five years. This includes:

• Any devices or infrastructure that will need to be replaced
• Brand new technologies (software, applications, etc.); be sure to note how data-intensive technologies are; many networks weren’t designed to support multiple use-cases of video streaming so this may significantly impact network design 
• Increasing numbers of devices (mobile devices like laptops and tablets, as well as IoT devices such as smart printers and thermostats, security devices, and any other devices dependent on internet connectivity)
• Any anticipated building renovations or expansions that would change the Wi-Fi network design and require more access points, cables, etc. to be added to a school’s deployment

This information will help decision makers make strategic, educated plans for Wi-Fi optimization. With E-rate funds, schools can create environments that support everywhere, 24/7 connectivity no matter how many devices connect or how data-intensive applications are.

Ongoing maintenance

As all IT professionals know, there’s no such thing as a problem-free Wi-Fi network. Devices and infrastructure will need maintenance throughout the school year if schools want reliably strong networks. Maintenance needs can arise from regular wear-and-tear, interoperability issues caused by new devices, nearby networks, student hotspots, or any other number of issues.

To support this, E-rate covers different monthly, maintenance, and operation charges. These include:

• Monthly charges necessary to make a Category One broadband service functional
• Repair and upkeep of eligible hardware needed for Category Two internal connections
• Wire and cable maintenance
• Configuration changes
• Basic technical support
• Software upgrades and patches

Ongoing optimization

Wi-Fi optimization takes network maintenance a step further by focusing on proactive, preventative measures. This is maintenance that resolves issues before students and teachers are affected. Schools that use proactive solutions report significantly fewer Wi-Fi problems and faster resolution times.

Because this is a 24-hour job that requires the real-time monitoring of the entire network – all infrastructure, devices, applications, and any sources of interference – it requires technological support. Look for Category Two products and services that provide capabilities such as:

• 24/7 analytics
• Proactive alerts
• Remote troubleshooting support

Reliable support for problem-free learning

Technologies in schools are designed to support and promote student learning, but they can’t do so without the support of a reliable and optimized Wi-Fi network. Take advantage of the discounts offered by the E-rate program and optimize your school’s Wi-Fi today so that it meets the unique current and future needs of your school.

A simmering demand for reliable connectivity in education turned to a boil during the pandemic when the digital divide–something that many under-connected communities were already facing–exploded. This was felt drastically as the pivot to remote learning exposed a widening gap between students who have access to high-speed internet compared to those who do not.

While there are hopeful signs that the pandemic is waning, schools will continue to rely on solutions that support flexible learning moving forward. From extreme weather knocking districts offline to students trying to stay in the loop when they are stuck at home sick, consistent connectivity is a staple for today’s modernized “pencil box.” It ensures students have access to the resources they need–no matter the circumstances.

With a new school year approaching, and the education sector forever changed in the shadow of the pandemic, there is a growing expectation among students, parents, and government institutions to be better prepared for the future. But preparing for the unexpected is easier said than done. So just how can school districts ready themselves to ensure consistent and reliable connectivity no matter what?

The key to making it happen is to understand the value of emerging technologies and approaches that support enhanced connectivity, such as Private Cellular Networks (PCNs), and leverage the right relief programs that can support investments in these types of solutions to close the digital divide. Only then can schools begin to lay the foundation of reliable connections that students need to combat this growing divide in the face of any unforeseen challenge.

Meeting the Growing Demand for Reliable Connectivity

The pandemic revealed a number of reasons why education needs to be flexible, especially considering the limits that come with relying solely on in-person learning. As we look towards the future, schools will need to invest in connected technologies that allow this flexibility to exist.

PCNs are one example of an approach to connectivity that can provide long-term opportunities for schooling. PCNs offer flexible connectivity over wide distances with better network performance and predictable bandwidth costs. It’s a new way to deliver consistent, high-performance internet access that is ideally suited for remote or hybrid learning.

PCNs are more flexible, reliable, and secure by nature, allowing teachers and students to continue to work uninterrupted. This eliminates dependence on home connections such as DSL, cable, or personal hotspots and allows internet access from anywhere. Adding to this, the PCN routers deployed within student homes are managed through a friendly cloud interface, making it easier for IT staff to operate and troubleshoot remotely. This means they don’t have to worry about supporting home users, and parents won’t be challenged with setting up networks for their children to access work online.

Whether it be a sick day, snow day, or any other obstacle that prevents a student from getting to the classroom, PCNs allow them to connect to the education resources they need while at home. Plus, even without any disasters or challenges, PCNs provide reliability for more normal day-to-day activities, like connecting online to do an assignment or viewing a school sporting event from home.

Overcoming Financial Obstacles to Connectivity

While many districts across the country can see the value of investing in enhanced connectivity solutions, the technology may seem out of reach to some, especially to those with limited funding or overall resources. But thanks to a growing list of government programs, there are emerging opportunities for schools to reap the benefits of enhanced connectivity.

Many schools look to the federal E-Rate program for guidance. E-Rate provides discounts for telecommunications and internet access to eligible schools. Programs like this can play a significant role in not only closing the current digital divide but preventing it from expanding in light of any unanticipated challenges in the future.

Adding to this, there is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) of 2021, a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package with $7.1 billion earmarked for the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF). The ECF provides “funding for schools and libraries for the purchase, during the coronavirus (COVID- 19) pandemic, connected devices and broadband connections for use by students, school staff, and library patrons.” More specifically, this funding has been set aside for remote teaching and learning at locations other than schools and libraries. The FCC has elected to distribute the fund through a process similar to the E-Rate application system.

Utah’s Murray City School District (MCSD) is a great example of how institutions can leverage these types of programs to invest in high-bandwidth technologies. Fueled by grant funding and partnerships through the CARES Act, MCSD became one of the first school districts in the nation to create and launch its own PCN in January 2021.

The pandemic highlighted the feasibility of remote learning. In fact, many schools will continue relying on distance learning as they adopt hybrid and flexible models for the future. E-Rate can help support schools as they adapt to these changing circumstances by providing them with the proper funds for digital technologies, connecting students and teachers to the information they need.

Enhanced Connectivity: An Expectation, Not a Request

It’s been estimated that in the Spring of 2020, more than 15 million public school students did not have home access to either an internet connection or a device adequate enough for distance learning. This underscored the already growing digital divide, highlighting the importance of reliable, secure, and effective connectivity within the education system.

While we can all hope to avoid another pandemic of this magnitude, there will always be another challenge or unexpected event to prepare for, not to mention a growing need for flexible learning in a modern era. For these reasons, schools need to be prepared to invest in the technology and programs that allow just that. This means reliable connectivity is no longer just a nice to have, but an expectation for the future of education and a way of bringing to an end the digital divide to provide equal opportunities for everyone.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to the disruption of a range of uniquely vital vertical sectors. This is especially true for K-12 and higher education as schools, colleges, and universities have been forced to close in order to slow the spread of the virus and find alternative, but technologically accessible, ways to reach students–literally.

With students, teachers and lecturers confined to their offices, homes, and dorm rooms to study and teach, many colleges and universities have come to realise that existing connectivity infrastructure just isn’t up to par. They may not understand why, but they know what they need. Question mark is: where to find it, and what to ask for?

Until 2019, really, the traditional means of acquiring connectivity via public or private Wi-Fi has demonstrated limitations, including an inability to efficiently cover large campuses and wide areas, and the dearth of offering security assurances schools and universities need from their networks. All this costs money. Meanwhile, costing even more money, public cellular networks are often a drain to run and, like Wi-Fi, cannot guarantee coverage, capacity, and security requirements, nor provide adequate control of network usage patterns.

So what’s the solution that covers better connectivity infrastructure and efficiency plus cost savings? While there’s been a lot of chatter about just how to solve this, private LTE is one of those buzz phrases that continues to pop up amongst educators and IT administrators, but there’s really been no roadmap. Until now.

Private LTE: What is it and how can it help address the burgeoning challenges in education?

Private LTE is a mobile broadband network deployed to serve a specific organization. It delivers dedicated access with security and managed policies ensuring that only authorized users are allowed to connect with their designated access profiles.

Organizations that deploy private LTE have complete autonomy over who has access, how they access the network, and what they are allowed to do. Networks can be deployed on a single site, for example at a single campus location, or they can be deployed to address wide-area network requirements covering a broad geographic area, such as multiple campus locations.

This makes private LTE an excellent option for the education sector looking to transform its communications infrastructure in order to connect students, teachers, devices, and applications. Indeed, the number of private networks is set to rise globally over the next few years and across all verticals. This is indicative of a growing demand for de-centralized access, services, and applications, and aims to transcend the limits of public networks. But what are the benefits for K-12 communities and higher education colleges seeking reliable, secure, and high-quality connectivity?

Built-in security

Understandably, when it comes to security and data privacy, schools and colleges are concerned with the safety and welfare of their students and staff. In the case of private LTE, network administrators have complete control over what devices are permitted to use the network.

Security policies can be defined from within the school’s IT systems, allowing them to have full ownership and control over this process, reducing their dependency on operators and Wi-Fi providers. To gain entry, students and teachers can access networks using a two-factor authentication process that requires both SIM card and PIN verification for secure access.

Private LTE networks carrying data traffic that belongs exclusively to schools and colleges reduce the risk that data will be compromised by an external cyberattack. This provides assurances that students are protected within a safe learning environment. With greater visibility and control of the data, unauthorized traffic is easily detected and managed in order to preserve the integrity of the network.  

Reliability

Compared to alternative solutions such as public LTE and Wi-Fi, private LTE delivers consistent reliability and dependable levels of performance. This makes it the ideal option to help schools and colleges remain online and operational in the face of COVID disruption.

A major advantage of private networks is that they allow organisations to isolate their requirements from the rest of the mass market; this is important as there is greater assurance of network availability in congested areas, resulting in much more robust connectivity overall. Without interference experienced on public networks, students are able to achieve their academic goals unimpeded by sub-optimal network quality.

On a private LTE network, it is possible to arrange usage prioritisation for priority applications, such as video conferencing. This means that students using the network to browse social media or stream video content don’t slow down the network or the efforts of teachers and fellow students.

Going the distance

Premises run by academic institutions can commonly cover an expansive area, from hundreds of thousands of feet to a few square miles distributed over multiple locations. With college students isolated in dorm rooms and resorting to distance learning as a response to the pandemic, private LTE is the perfect solution to solve the ‘wide area LAN’ challenge as they offer superior range, both indoors and outdoors.

By installing their own private network, academic institutions can guarantee coverage at their locations to a mobile population of students and staff. In terms of reach, private LTE offers better signal strength and transmits across a variety of environments. For instance, signals from the CBRS component of the LTE network infrastructure can penetrate indoor walls, making this type of technology robust enough to support eLearning. In addition, high volumes of data can be carried over long distances which means educational resources can be shared easily.   

Continuity of learning

As schools and colleges across the country evaluate their options to avoid serious disruption to students’ education, institutions should consider private networks as a viable opportunity to support new and emerging requirements for flexible learning.

An additional factor about private LTE is that it can be cheaper to run than public LTE, which is great news for school and college administrators who need to assign resources carefully and manage a tight budget. Private LTE provides the education sector with a cost-effective path to a safe and reliable wireless network over which they have full operational control. What’s not to love?      

Today’s students, teachers, and administrative staff are facing unprecedented connectivity challenges as the 2020 school year brings more and more distance learning options. School districts’ commitment to the “no child left behind” mission takes on a new meaning with today’s technology and learning formats, as students must now have access to reliable, secure internet service in order to access all their educational opportunities. Such connectivity is now a requirement for all distance learning solutions currently being used, including e-campus portals and learning management solution platforms.

Students who don’t have access to high-quality internet service are at significant disadvantage compared to their connected peers. Furthermore, students who need to visit their school campus or other public facilities in order to obtain access to reliable connectivity risk exposure to COVID-19.

Related content: The challenges of online math instruction

Today, more than 9 million students lack proper access to reliable broadband internet at home, which creates obstacles for both the students and teachers. This, coupled with potential learning disabilities, households with multiple students and parents or guardians with language barriers, creates unprecedented challenges for the industry.

Shared spectrum initiatives as the answer

In January 2020, the FCC authorized commercial use of Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) connectivity, an initiative that broadly opens the use of the 3.5 GHz spectrum band for shared public and private use. This enables commercial users — e.g. school districts — to leverage a vast amount of invaluable underutilized mid-band spectrum. It provides a cost-effective and high-performance connectivity solution to make uncompromised 4G LTE- and 5G-quality connectivity readily available for education buildings, school campuses and district networks.

As a result, schools and universities across the country are looking to provide a private wireless internet network, to be exclusively used by the school district, via shared spectrum connectivity within the 3.5 GHz CBRS band. By deploying a private LTE network for distance-learning, shared spectrum connectivity can provide students and staff access to a more reliable network from their homes — creating a better and more seamless distance-learning experience.

These private LTE networks can complement both public cellular and existing Wi-Fi networks, as well as provide coverage where neither exist, bringing connectivity to students who live in rural areas. Especially in today’s world where wireless internet access is a utility and a lack of such connectivity can limit students’ access to an education, shared spectrum connectivity is imperative.

Additionally, shared spectrum connectivity can provide fixed wireless solutions to offer the reliable connectivity needed to support video-based learning. By doing so, school districts can deploy local antennas that connect directly to in-home routers using wireless connectivity, as opposed to relying on fiber connections — which are subject to availability, depending on a student’s location.

Addressing today’s concerns with shared spectrum

A shared spectrum approach can provide uncompromised connectivity at a fraction of the cost of traditional LTE by enabling schools to deploy their own private wireless network without the complexities associated with traditional carriers. This makes shared spectrum connectivity a viable investment for schools that have received funding to help cope with the impact of COVID-19. The use of shared spectrum could mean that disadvantaged students such as low-income students, students with disabilities, foster students, homeless students, and English-as-a-second language (ESL) learners won’t lose a school year or won’t be behind track to graduate.

In order to ease remote teaching efforts, some schools have set up classrooms with cameras and personal computers for staff to live-stream lectures. However, this requires reliable, high-speed internet access, with which many campus buildings are not equipped. Shared spectrum connectivity can provide the necessary broadband speeds to support live online lectures, ensuring an uninterrupted and convenient learning environment.

Additionally, virtual safety and cybersecurity have become extremely pressing concerns around online learning and video conferencing platforms — especially for young children. Shared spectrum connectivity can ensure that a school district’s private LTE network remains private, allowing access exclusively to authorized users. Furthermore, the security of such data is ensured since the data remains on-premise, off the internet and SIM-secure.

Shared spectrum for education: Beyond COVID-19

Despite addressing the connectivity challenges associated with distance learning, a fair question when looking to invest in shared spectrum connectivity is, “What are the benefits beyond COVID-19?”

Here are some additional use cases in which schools can reap the benefits of shared spectrum, even after distance learning is no longer in effect:
● Campus transportation tracking: Enabling students and staff to see when and where buses will be arriving.
● Campus security enhancement: Supporting connectivity of campus blue light emergency phones, surveillance security cameras, sensors, campus security communications and access control systems.
● Digital record keeping: Providing a secure private LTE network can help prevent catastrophic security breaches of personal information, as well as enable administrators to more easily track and update student and staff records.
● Extended campus wireless coverage: Enhancing wireless internet connectivity for staff and students campus-wide via high-speed wireless services, eliminating dead zones, such as areas within athletic buildings and dorms, to help keep and attract the best faculty and students.

Take-aways from education’s “new normal”

While the future format of education at all levels remains uncertain, it’s critical that students and staff have access to the resources they need to succeed in learning in and creating an interactive virtual-learning environment.

By providing high-capacity wireless solutions, CBRS shared spectrum enables all students and staff to have access to reliable, secure wireless connectivity. Whether it be virtual circle-time in kindergarten, or virtual lectures in college, CBRS ensures that no student is denied access to a quality (virtual) education or critical education resources.

When the coronavirus pandemic forced students into remote learning this past spring, many telecommunications companies stepped up to offer free or deeply discounted home broadband access to families who couldn’t afford it. Now, those temporary offers have largely expired — and yet remote learning seems likely to continue in at least some capacity when school resumes this fall.

This raises key questions for K-12 leaders to resolve: How will students from low-income families connect to the internet to learn from home if they can’t attend school physically this fall? What role can school systems play in ensuring home broadband access for all students, given the budget crisis many districts will be facing next year?

Related content: What the pandemic has revealed about digital equity

The simplest solution would be for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to lift the restrictions barring E-rate recipients from using their networks to extend broadband service into students’ homes. However, this scenario isn’t likely to happen, according to John Harrington, CEO of the consulting firm Funds For Learning (FFL), which helps schools successfully apply for E-rate discounts.

In an interview, Harrington said that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai believes the agency doesn’t have the legal authority to lift this rule. Instead, he said, K-12 leaders must look to Congress for help — and Harrington urged leaders to contact their senators and representatives to lobby for more federal aid to support home broadband access.

In May, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a second coronavirus stimulus bill, known as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act. The bill would provide $90 billion in additional money for K-12 schools and colleges, as well as $1.5 billion for an Emergency Connectivity Fund administered by the FCC to pay for WiFi hotspots and other home connectivity solutions to help with remote learning. (As of press time, the Senate had yet to take up the bill.)

The HEROES Act is a good start, Harrington said — but it doesn’t come close to meeting the need for home broadband access across the United States.

According to a report from Common Sense Media, some 15 million to 16 million students (about 30 percent) lack either high-speed internet access or a computing device to learn from home — and 9 million students lack both. What’s more, as many as 400,000 teachers face the same barriers in teaching from home.

Using federal Census data, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) estimates that 9 percent of U.S. families can’t afford home broadband access, FFL says — which works out to 7.15 million U.S. households. Equipping these households with a digital device, broadband service, and internet security would cost an estimated $7.5 billion altogether, FFL calculates.

Working with the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition and the State E-rate Coordinators Alliance, FFL has drafted a proposal that would close this gap. The plan, called the Remote Learning During COVID-19 Initiative, calls for $5.25 billion in federal funding for schools and libraries to provide broadband access for families who can’t afford it.

The funding would be distributed according to the E-rate formula, with schools and libraries contributing a portion of the cost themselves based on National School Lunch Program data. More than 1,900 individuals and organizations have endorsed the proposal, including the American Library Association and personnel from hundreds of school systems.

Although the proposal hasn’t made it into a House or Senate bill yet, Harrington said he’s heard interest from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle. He urged K-12 leaders to sign the letter endorsing the plan or at least contact their federal legislators to raise awareness of the need for home broadband access to support remote learning — and to think about contingency plans if Congress doesn’t act before the new school year begins.

“The ‘homework gap’ is a misnomer,” he noted. “It’s no longer just about homework. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how essential home broadband access is for students to learn.”

Digital learning not only plays a crucial role in preparing today’s students for the jobs of tomorrow, it also has an important role in providing equity and access to education–especially in smaller and remote school districts. This makes access to adequate and reliable broadband even more important as the development of new technologies continues.

The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) is now preparing to accommodate next-generation technologies such as 5G, virtual reality, robotics, and esports.

Related content: 7 things supporting broadband best practices

During a recent edWebinar, Christine Fox, SETDA’s deputy executive director, provided an overview of the opportunities and challenges schools and districts now face. Marc Johnson, executive director of East Central Minnesota Educational Cable Cooperative (ECMECC), then provided perspective from a regional and local level on the expanding use of broadband.

Broadband’s big picture

Fox started with an overview of the diverse approaches to providing educational broadband access across the U.S., with 28 states currently using statewide K-12 broadband networks, 9 states using regional networks, and 16 states using alternative methods such as purchasing consortia. What all these types of organizations share is a commitment to developing a modern, agile workforce comprised of lifelong learners who can grow along with evolving technologies.

While there’s a strong focus on preparing students for the future of work, both in terms of the variety of jobs and how those jobs are continuing to change, educational networks also need to provide ongoing support for day-to-day tasks such as personalized learning, enabling students to take online assessments, and helping administrators efficiently accomplish their tasks in an accurate and secure way. There’s also an emphasis on ensuring inclusion of diverse students in different types of settings.

This requires technological leadership with a shared vision that includes input from all stakeholders, as well as clear goals, effective communication, and the use of research-based best practices. This also requires reliable broadband access that is scalable and available to meet the needs of changing technologies and student populations.

Looking toward the future, Fox sees administrators moving beyond providing broadband to a building, and instead focusing on making it accessible throughout a building. Digital learning no longer occurs in just the classroom, and schools need to look at providing access in a variety of areas and at different times of days, so students without internet access at home don’t have to walk to a McDonald’s or a Starbucks after school and use an unsecure Wi-Fi network to do their homework.

Links to local learning

Johnson explained that Minnesota has 18 regional networks across the state, most of which now use leased fiber-optic networks. This provides them with a scalable infrastructure, and by monitoring disruptions and usage levels, administrators can buy additional bandwidth to accommodate future growth before it becomes a critical need.

The ECMECC staff provides instructional technology support for districts, which is especially important for smaller districts that may not be able to have full-time tech support people of their own. The staff also manage the network’s shared firewall and other security features that help to prevent denial-of-service and malware attacks. There’s also a data center that provides off-site storage and backup.

Moving forward, Johnson and his team will be facilitating schools’ implementation of 1-to-1 device initiatives, and the introduction of more 21st-century digital courses, which districts can then make their own through a process he calls “curriculum adaptation” rather than curriculum adoption.

A key aspect of this type of teaching and learning is the increased use of interactive video for online field trips and other purposes. Examples include the opportunity for high school students taking health classes to observe and interact with medical personnel as they perform procedures, or a musician in a distant city teaching classes and leading rehearsals while online.

This type of distance learning can be especially valuable for small, rural districts, but also for under-funded districts in urban areas that don’t always have the resources to send students to other parts of a city. In these and other ways, broadband access and increased bandwidth are having an ever more important role in providing access and equity for 21st century educations.

About the presenter

Marc Johnson is Executive Director of East Central Minnesota Educational Cable Cooperative (ECMECC), a telecommunication and technology cooperative of fourteen K-12 school districts in East Central Minnesota. Marc is in his eleventh year as ECMECC director having spent two years prior as technology director for ISD 15 and seven years as an instructional technology specialist for the St. Croix River Education District. Previously, he taught middle and high school mathematics and college technology courses. Marc brings eleven years of experience managing a regional wide area network providing Internet access, shared network services, and network security to over 39,000 students, 2,800 faculty/administrators, and 2,200 educational support staff. On the broadband front, Marc serves on the Blandin Foundation Broadband Strategy Board and is an appointed member of the Minnesota Governor’s Task Force on Broadband. Marc continues to advocate for and work with several other broadband initiatives in the state and with organizations like SETDA.

About the host

Christine Fox serves as Deputy Executive Director for SETDA. As the deputy executive director, she collaborates with the executive director in charting strategic direction, administration, planning, and financial decisions involving SETDA. She also facilitates the members’ professional learning opportunities, including planning and implementing the content for SETDA’s virtual and in-person events and newsletters. In addition, she manages many of SETDA’s research and product development projects from conception to publication. The management of such projects includes coordinating data collection from all states, supervising consultants and staff, ensuring member input and supervising the publishing process. Recent publications and projects include Navigating the Digital Shift reports 2015-2019, the Professional Learning and K12 Instructional Materials Dashboards, the Broadband Imperative Report Series, Guide to Quality Instructional Materials, Digital Instructional Materials Acquisition Policies for States, and The Broadband Imperative II: Equitable Access for Learning. Christine Fox’s background includes experience in education and consulting. She has worked as an educational consultant and curriculum developer for a national whole-school reform model, ESOL Coordinator, and 3rd-grade teacher. Christine has a Master of Science in teaching English as a second language from Florida International University and received her bachelor’s degree in English literature from Florida State University. She lives in South Florida with her husband and two daughters.

Join the community

Essential Elements for Digital Content is a free professional learning community on edWeb.net that provides policy makers, school administrators and educator leaders a better understanding of policies and practices related to digital instructional materials.

This edWeb broadcast was hosted by SETDA and sponsored by ENA. The recording of the edWebinar can be viewed by anyone here.

Equitable, reliable, and robust broadband access both on and off campus is essential to support digital learning and prepare K-12 students for life and work.

The declaration is a cornerstone of Broadband Imperative III: Driving Connectivity, Access and Student Success, a new report from SETDA.

In addition to advocating for equitable broadband access, the report discusses innovative technologies and pedagogical approaches to personalize learning for all students.

Related content: 7 things supporting broadband best practices

Seventeen percent of teens don’t have reliable access to a device, meaning they can’t complete homework. It isn’t always feasible for students to borrow devices from schools, especially if the schools are in low-income areas with limited resources.

Comprehensive broadband planning is another must-have to meet the needs of teachers and students while avoiding a technology disruption. Because digital learning isn’t one-size-fits-all, school and district leaders have to work collaboratively to determine their teaching and learning needs and how broadband access supports those goals. Designing network capacity to support those goals, while also allowing for future growth, will ensure that digital learning needs are met.

Examples within the report focus on states and districts where robust bandwidth has already positively impacted teaching and learning.

For instance, in California, the Chaffey Joint Union High School District serves 23,894 students. Sixty-one percent of students qualify for free or reduced school lunch. The district office is connected at 100 Gbps via fiber-optic cable and shares that bandwidth with several other school districts. Schools connect over nine 10 Gbps fiber-optic connections. Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways are provided via schools preparing students for future careers.

Ohio’s Cincinnati Public Schools developed the AP Blended Learning program to improve students access to rigorous learning opportunities and improve equity of learning. The blended learning program consists of face-to-face instruction and individualized student learning. The district provides every student with a device and wireless internet access. Technology enables many more students access to AP courses, improving their educational experience.

“Digital learning approaches have already proven their power to support deep student learning at scale. The robust, protected Internet backbone that Connecticut provides to schools remains a critical component in allowing them to take advantage of the tools, devices, and personalized learning methods that they have adopted,” said Mark Raymond, Chair, Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology.

In the report, SETDA includes recommendations for policy makers and school leaders:
Leverage technology for innovative pedagogical approaches: Focus on academic goals and use technology to support learning experiences that prepare students for college and/or careers
Ensure digital access and equity: This will continue to be a challenge, but every child deserves access to personalized, student-centered learning experiences
Plan infrastructure for the future: School leaders should plan strategically for reliable high-speed broadband access to ensure sustained and seamless access to learning tools
Build networks for the future: Sustainable and reliable networks will depend on school leaders’ examination of every level of digital learning implementation
Influence federal and state policies and funding: Federal and state policies should keep broadband access and connectivity at the forefront of their priorities

“Today’s students need equitable, robust bandwidth access to ensure that engaging, personalized learning experiences are being implemented for all. Skills based on dynamic digital instructional materials, online simulations, coding, and content creation are essential to a student’s success for today and into the future. Connectivity is a key variable to making this happen,” says Candice Dodson, Executive Director of SETDA.