The federal Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF), Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) — all of which boosted student connectivity during and after the pandemic — have come to an end, leaving states to pick up the slack to ensure millions of students nationwide do not lose internet access crucial to their schooling.
However, according to a report released in January by the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA), just a quarter of states are prepared to sustain K-12 digital access in the wake of these federal programs expiring.
For students, losing access could mean not being able to complete homework that requires a digital component, not having access to virtual doctor’s appointments, or falling behind on skills necessary to move ahead in today’s workforce.
“Universal connectivity is more than just internet access — it’s about addressing the digital divide to ensure every student is prepared for post-secondary success,” said SETDA Executive Director Julia Fallon. “Nearly every career pathway today demands tech literacy and digital citizenship skills — not just the jobs of tomorrow. This report provides evidence-based strategies and actionable policy recommendations to help education leaders and state and federal policymakers close the digital divide and build sustainable systems that ensure all students thrive beyond K-12 education.”
According to the report, almost 3 million households risk losing internet service with the ACP’s sunset, while 8.3 million may need to downgrade to slower plans, which directly impacts K-12 students’ ability to learn. Many households, particularly those with Black, Hispanic and Indigenous students or in rural areas, already lack an internet subscription or device at home.
Local and state education leaders have sought to address the gap. About 92 percent of local educational agencies devoted some of their federal COVID relief funds to educational technology. Now, almost 75 percent of districts provide internet access to schools at 1 megabit per second (a substantial increase from 8 percent in 2015).
Additionally, 85 percent of state education agencies reported working to improve broadband and device access over the past year, but with K-12 schools nationwide facing increasingly costly cyberthreats, state leaders rank cybersecurity as their top technology concern, the report showed.
Next steps
Universal connectivity is vital to ensuring students have reliable internet while at school or home, according to SETDA. To accomplish this, local, state and federal leaders must collaborate to implement policies and practices to remove barriers to internet affordability, create a source of reliable funding and implement safeguards for student and educational staff personal information.
Specifically, the report recommends that:
- A reliable funding program is established to support universal connectivity that preserves the Universal Service Fund and that new initiatives be launched under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to support this work.
- State and federal policymakers commit to support equitable access across the K-12 sector.
- Funding and technical assistance are provided for schools to put inclusive digital tools into classrooms.
- Assurance is provided so that students can access online educational tools and platforms that protect their data and include technical support for safe web navigation.
- Digital skill-building opportunities are made available for students and their families.
- Sustained efforts are made to provide professional development and support for school staff as they adopt artificial intelligence tools.
