Without internet access, students fall behind

Not every student and teacher has adequate access to the internet. So, people are getting creative. School buses are delivering hard-copy versions of classwork along with the daily meals. One teacher spends five days a week on the porch of the library to connect with his students.

The COVID-19 crisis highlights how important it is that everyone has access to reliable, high-speed internet. 

Our region is making progress on long-term solutions to build and expand networks to reach everyone, but the work doesn’t happen overnight. This crisis calls for an emergency response to connect every child. 

Initial estimates from area school districts suggest that over 500 households across the region do not have adequate connections. 

The reasons people aren’t connected? Affordability and availability. Many internet providers are offering free or discounted rates to households with K-12 and/or college students who don’t already have internet through the company. This is critical. But there are additional equipment expenses for things like MiFi boosters, which are needed to service certain households. School districts need resources to cover these costs for families.

Then there’s the availability issue. Free service is great, but in some locations, service isn’t even an option. How do we help those households that can’t be served by fiber, satellite, DSL, cable, or cell coverage?

We build out a comprehensive “drive-in” WiFi hotspot network. We extend the signals of networks at schools, libraries, and other public buildings, and open them to the public.

This is not ideal. Sitting in your car, bundled against the cold, in order to connect to your teacher and classmates is not an ideal learning environment. But this is an emergency and we must provide some form of connection to every child right now.

And once this crisis is over, we can’t forget this issue. We need to continue working toward long-term solutions so that every child can connect and learn from home.  

We are already weeks into this crisis. Now is the time for swift and significant action from our Legislature to ensure schools have the resources and equipment needed to serve our children. Now is the time to keep every child connected so they don’t fall behind. 

Katherine Sims

Craftsbury

Katherine Sims is a parent, director of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative and a Democratic candidate for the Vermont House.