More work to do on closing digital divide

When schools closed in the spring and every district in the state adopted some form of online learning, among the biggest challenges was the so-called “digital divide.” Not everyone had access to the hardware and connectivity that would make e-learning possible, with the problem more pronounced in cities. That left thousands of young people at a disadvantage as schooling went overnight from in-person to remote.

Much progress was made over the summer to close that divide, but the need did not go away. When school restarted two months ago, districts were left to make their own choices on the format they would follow, with some staying online only and others adopting a hybrid half-in, half-out schedule. A few around the state have resumed in-person classes at something near their earlier, pre-COVID schedule.

Many more people now have access to the tools they need for remote learning, but the gap is far from closed. And school is only part of the issue. With so much of modern life requiring broadband connections and a means to get online, families that do not have those basics are at risk of falling further behind in a variety of areas beyond education. It’s not just children who are suffering.

A study released this week by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and Dalio Education found the digital divide was most serious in cities like Hartford, New Haven, Waterbury and Bridgeport, where up to 40 percent of households lack a broadband connection. The deficits fell hardest on Black and Hispanic households, as well as senior citizens. Some 57,000 families with children under 18 did not have reliable internet access, and there were wide disparities, as well, in who had computers with which to log on.

Though both the Dalio Foundation and state government have launched initiatives to help close these gaps, there is much work to be done. As organizers of the study pointed out, private philanthropy alone cannot be the only answer. It will take investment on the state level, even as the state ranks among the top in the nation for broadband access. Too many people are falling through the gaps in the system.

The good news is that this is almost universally recognized as a serious issue. According to a poll released at the same time as the study, some 90 percent of likely voters in the state said they were concerned about families with children lacking internet access during the pandemic. The challenge, then, is to turn that concern into concrete action. That needs to be a focus after the election.

Among the many dangers of the continuing coronavirus crisis is the enormous gap that has been further exposed between people of means in this state and people who lack the basics. What had once been considered luxuries must now be thought of as necessities — if schools are closed, there is great difficulty in getting an education without a computer and an internet connection.

As the state continues to work its way through the COVID crisis, leaders must do all they can to ensure that more people aren’t left behind.

According to a poll released at the same time as the study, some 90 percent of likely voters in the state said they were concerned about families with children lacking internet access during the pandemic.