A policy paper arguing that the nation should dedicate a sizable share of public airwave spectrum auction proceeds to closing digital equity gaps and establish a reliable, proven vehicle to pursue this task. It outlines spectrum and its regulation, the forces driving the expansion of broadband demand, and precedents for channeling proceeds into public-purpose uses; and lays out a case for endowing a private Digital Futures Foundation to invest in the significant advancements in public-purpose applications and services needed to close the various digital equity gaps for the benefit of all Americans.

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 resource discusses how the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the educational digital divide. The authors urge the FCC to increase E-rate funding, and describe efforts in many locales to find effective and financially sustainable ways to extend connectivity to students who lack it and thereby close the nation’s destructive homework gap.

This blog discusses various issues surrounding broadband connection in Native Nations, complete with examples. It argues that there is no singular prescriptive fix that will connect all Native Nations, but rather federal, state, and local governments must work with Native Nations to achieve broadband connectivity that fits their respective communities, with Indigenous people directly involved in the creation and implementation of programs designed to create solutions to meet their unique needs.

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.

This article reviews research on internet access in West Virginia, revealing that many West Virginians living in rural communities do not have access to affordable, quality internet service that would allow them to virtually meet with a doctor, apply for unemployment benefits, access online learning resources, or even stay informed on the public health crisis.

This resource reviews research on internet access in the Navajo Nation, revealing that many Navajo chapters lack affordable, accessible internet, and arguing that the federal government’s failure to connect people on tribal lands deprives entire tribes of opportunities for employment, healthcare, education, and economic growth in both the short and long term.

The New America Open Technology Institute details how community and tribal broadband networks have succeeded in connecting unserved communities, challenged incumbent private-sector providers to deliver higher-quality and more affordable internet, and expanded opportunities for education, job creation, and economic growth. While more than 900 communities are served by such networks today, as many as 20 states have laws preventing localities from forming such networks: this report argues these restrictive state laws should be repealed.