This issue brief explains the ways in which states have used Covid-19 relief funds on expanding connectivity for digital learning, telehealth, public Wi-Fi, and residential infrastructure. The brief also offers three recommendations to improve service in residential broadband service in the long-term.

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This resource from the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition provides an analysis of the March 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, specifically what the funding supports and how effectively it addresses closing the connectivity gap. The piece concludes that the Act failed in several areas and additional funding for broadband deployment is necessary.

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This federal resource outlines seven strategies used by state leaders to address digital equity and the homework gap issues. These strategies detail the needs for more accurate data on broadband availability and access, continued collaboration between government agencies and stakeholders, and training of teachers and families.

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This news story from July 2020 discusses how a Sacramento school district is working to close the homework gap during the Covid-19 pandemic by providing Chromebooks to students and equipping two buses with Wi-Fi to drive throughout the neighborhood. The district has also partnered with Verizon to offer internet service to families for $10 per month.

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A link to the full series of Emerging Voices from the Pandemic: Students Speak Out, in which connected students speak with disconnected students who share their lived experiences with remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The Internet Society offers a wide range of free, self-paced online courses for those wishing to explore the technical and programmatic aspects of broadband development. Course topics include network operations, Internet exchange points, encryption, and grant application and project implementation.

This resource outlines results from a Pew Research Center survey which show that opinions on the responsibilities of schools and the government to help close the digital divide during the Covid-19 pandemic are split both on political party and socio-economic lines.

This case study describes the state of the digital divide in Ohio and highlights innovative community broadband solutions. It also discusses the role of the state's Broadband Office in supporting community efforts.

A blog that draws on data from the American Instructional Resources Survey to explore opportunities for meeting the new and growing demands of pandemic pedagogy, including the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB), better training for teachers on online tools and resources, and micro-credentials to better indicate and develop teachers’ technological competencies.

This article introduces a pilot project between New America's Education Policy Program, Open Technology Institute, and Alexandria City Public Schools called Measuring Broadband in Schools, which intends to acquire more granular data about the day-to-day technical experiences and challenges that the district's students and teachers face.