Virtual learning is a way of life for students and teachers forced to adjust to a new world created during the COVID-19 pandemic. While some thrived and others struggled, all had to deal with the familiar obstacle called the digital divide.
Just ask Rachel Rice, a teacher and educational consultant, about the negative impact the lack of broadband service had on underserved communities both during and after the pandemic.
“Learning has gone downhill so badly that it is sad,” said Rice, who has taught grades 4-6 in St. Louis, Jennings and River Gardens school districts for 10 years.
“So, when I began teaching, students were more excited about learning and they wanted to do more things that were hands-on. We had computers, but we didn’t really use them. Students actually preferred not to use them honestly. They prefer paperwork; there aren’t as many distractions as there are when working virtually.”
However, this traditional approach to teaching has been greatly changed by COVID-19 and has not necessarily benefited every child.
Limited broadband service is a major barrier to academic progress. According to The St. Louis Digital Divide reports about 55% of Black St. Louis households don’t have the internet, while in white households that figure sits at only 22%. The report also states that 25% of Black households do not even have a computer.
According to one national study, about 20% of households – Black or white – lack connection to the internet. The study also revealed that 35% of Americans do not even have the digital literacy skills needed to navigate the online world.
Students who fall too far behind will likely face disadvantages when they enter the job market. A lack of digital access and literacy in the classroom may negatively impact children for the rest of their lives, because it can prevent them from competing on equal footing when applying for jobs.
Combining these factors with the growing reliance on virtual learning only makes the digital divide between the “haves and the have-nots” larger.
“So many students across the nation lack the access to technology and resources they need to be successful in today’s digital world,” said Mario Acosta-Velez, Verizon East Region senior director of local engagement, corporate social responsibility and public policy.
Verizon is putting resources into bridging the gap. St. Louis Public Schools has started a Verizon Innovative Learning Lab at the Academy of Entrepreneurship Studies Middle School at L’Ouverture (AESM). The lab gives students free access to emerging technology such as virtual reality, 3D printing and artificial intelligence. Verizon has sponsored other labs at Long Middle School and Yeatman-Liddell Middle School.
AT&T has also done a good job connecting with organizations in The Greater St. Louis Area as well.
The company has supplied hundreds of refurbished laptops to Boys & Girls Club members. The computers, funded by an AT&T donation to Compudopt, were distributed last year to St. Louis families with children in grades K-12 who did not have a laptop at home.
This year AT&T continued to impact The Greater St. Louis area by expanding the services even more.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) Club members are enjoying the new AT&T Connected Learning Center (CLC) at BGC Herbert Hoover Club, 2901 N. Grand Blvd. The new center expands a partnership with AT&T and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis to provide access to high-speed Internet, Dell Technologies computers, and digital learning resources. In addition, AT&T contributed $50,000 to BGCSTL for programming support.
The resources at the center provide students with content and activities to support learning outside the classroom while also helping parents and caregivers build skills and confidence using technology.
“Some students strive when they have that inner or intrinsic ability to work and get things done,” Rice said. “Certain students developed it more quickly than others. Maturity plays a part in it as well, age does come into action. Because as you get older the children’s attention span grows longer.”
With limited resources available, solving the digital access problem will be expensive. Experts project that the actual investment likely starts at $200 million but could easily top $300 million. Making broadband available to low-income families may cost at least $45 million in annual subsidies, plus an initial investment of more than $20 million for devices, according to the St. Louis Digital Divide Report.
There is no doubt that public-private partnerships are needed to help fund this mission but school districts, libraries and community organizations must remain open to opportunities to join forces to address this issue. Libraries already provide internet access, devices, and training in digital literacy and technology, so that’s a solid starting point
In the St. Louis Digital Divide report, Kristen Sorth, director and CEO of the St. Louis County Library, said libraries are excellent partners in this fight for digital equity.
“I definitely think that libraries are positioned to assist the community with the educational component and how to use the technology,” said Sorth.
In 2021 Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure every American had access to high-speed internet, among other needs.
Broadband internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs, participate equally in school learning, health care, and stay connected according to WhiteHouse.Gov
The bipartisan infrastructure deal will deliver $65 billion to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet through a historic investment in broadband infrastructure deployment.
So far, this initiative is making a difference. Already, more than 21 million low-income households have gained access to free or discounted high-speed internet service through the Affordable Connectivity Program.
The Administration is urging Congress to provide additional funding for this program so that low-income seniors, students, and families can continue to receive free and discounted internet service through 2024.
In Missouri, Michigan, and Mississippi, construction is underway on projects funded by the Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program. These projects, funded with $28 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will connect 7,100 people, 660 farms, and 149 businesses directly to fiber networks.
