DIGITAL DIVIDE
In California, hundreds of thousands of computers and hot spots have been secured for schools, and districts have spent more than $2 billion in federal stimulus funding on technology. But in 2020, almost one-fifth of California’s students could not participate in remote learning due to lack of rural and frontier infrastructure or lack
25% of African American students and their families do not have access to the internet and 13% do not have access to computers.
BroadbandNow’s best and worst states for internet coverage, speed and price access:
In December, the Los Angeles Unified School District reported it had distributed about 400,000 devices and all students had computers and internet. However, according to a survey by the University of Southern California and Educators for Excellence that month, more than half of Los Angeles teachers reported students’ lack of high-speed internet was a serious obstacle to their learning.
The percentage of lower incomes has doubled since 2013.
The FCC is working on two major programs to provide help for what they call the homework gap.
Emergency Broadband Benefit
The commission launched the $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband Benefit to address broadband affordability. More than 4.4 million U.S. households have applied as of Aug. 8. The program provides a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands. Other discounts are available.
Go to fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit to learn more.
Helping Close the Homework Gap
The $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund helps schools and libraries by providing funding for the reasonable costs of laptop and tablets; Wi-Fi hot spots; modems; routers; and broadband connectivity purchases for off-campus use by students, school staff and library patrons in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The deadline for these services is June 30, 2022.
Progress made
According to BroadbandNow.com’s assessment of American internet access, 77% of Americans had access (in the first quarter of 2021) to low-priced internet at speeds of 25 mbps download / 3 mbps upload. That is up from 70% in the Q4 2020 report and up from 50% in Q1 of 2020.
The 2021 report also noted faster broadband speeds, such as 100 mbps download / 25 upload, are priced significantly higher and just 31% of Americans have access to low-priced plans. A low-priced internet plan is defined as $60/month or cheaper, excluding temporarily promotional pricing.
21% of Hispanic or Latino students do not have access to the internet and 9% do not have access to computers.
Percentage of consumers with access to wired broadband at $60/month or less First quarter 2020
15%
24% of urban affordability.
The digital divide impacts students of color and low-income students at disproportionate rates. The rate of students without a computing device is lower than those without internet access, nationwide figures show:
In July 2015, the percentage of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home was 66%. In February 2020, it was 77%.
Top 10
New Jersey New York Maryland Rhode Island Florida
30% of American Indian students do not have access to the internet and 16% do not have access to computers.
Illinois
District of Columbia Texas Massachusetts Connecticut
Bottom 10
14% of White students do not have access to the internet and 7% do not have access to computers.
Vermont Nebraska New Mexico Montana Alaska
Smartphones only
Percentage of U.S. adults who say they have a smartphone but no broadband at home, by household income.
30%
20%
10%
0
2013