Digital Equity

The Future Ready Tech Challenge, launched by NAF on its KnoPro platform this week, kicks off with a $10,000 question: How can high school students use cutting-edge technology to explore and chose their ideal career path?

A federal grant is helping to fund efforts to connect residents with affordable Internet service. Several community groups are involved in the work, which includes assistance navigating Affordable Connectivity Program eligibility.

The Philadelphia Office of Innovation and Technology has created a Racial Equity Action Plan. Equity plays an integral role for an office tasked with supporting other city departments with technology.

Cleveland is preparing to strike an agreement with fiber developer SiFi Networks, in pursuit of high-speed, citywide Internet infrastructure that promises to serve every household and business that wants it.

Plus, the federal digital discrimination task force is holding a listening session this week in New York City; Charlotte is launching a pilot program to increase tech transparency; and more.

Bamberg County is working to develop a broadband system that will make high-speed Internet affordable for underserved communities with the help of a $12 million federal grant.

Plus, Maryland’s governor attends an ACP training session; Seattle has opened applications for its annual digital equity grants; new findings about Internet access; and much more.

The second annual report on education technology trends by the State Educational Technology Directors Association notes that the emergence of ChatGPT has given state education leaders new problems to worry about.

Residents of the state will have until Oct. 10 to weigh in on a proposed five-year plan to upgrade broadband Internet availability, reliability and affordability statewide.

Delivery Associates, an international consulting firm, launched the Community Funding Accelerator pilot program to match K-12 districts with federal grants and guide them through the application process.

Student coaches with AmeriCorps’ City Year program will have access to digital tools and an online dashboard from the education software company Curriculum Associates to aid struggling students in grades three to five.

Plus, New Mexico’s broadband director is retiring, California has a new public broadband services bill and applications are open for the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s 2023 digital trailblazers program.

Experts say communities across the U.S. have made significant progress in efforts to expand Internet access, largely through private-public partnerships and localized initiatives to make broadband affordable to families.

The ninth annual ED Games Expo will occupy the Kennedy Center from Sept. 19-22, with ed-tech developers and representatives of public agencies talking to students and teachers about classroom tools and innovations.

For families and students who lack home Internet or personal devices, the introduction of technologies like artificial intelligence in schools may only exacerbate digital inequities.

Plus, a new module is added to the Broadband Infrastructure Playbook, Virginia is the latest state to release its five-year broadband action plan, and more.

Some $386 million in state funding is set to be distributed to counties throughout the state to expand Internet service. The governor has awarded 56 grants totaling more than $196 million from the Broadband Deployment Fund so far.

A newly announced partnership between the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation and Coursera will provide no-cost workforce training to unemployed and underemployed Nevadans.