Broadband
IT Infrastructure & Management
Rural Broadband Gets Big New Aid
Rural communities with low internet connection could soon see upgrades thanks to a new Department of Agriculture grant program.
Education Funding
New $600 Million Federal Program Targets Tech Needs of Rural Areas
Rural communities with major connectivity issues: Looking to upgrade your broadband? The U.S. Department of Agriculture may have a grant and loan program for you.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Tide of Comments to FCC Favored Net Neutrality, Analysis Finds
A report by a Stanford researcher concludes that the overwhelming majority of public comments submitted to the FCC last year opposed a policy to dismantle Obama-era protections on "net neutrality." The report focused on comments that were not automatically generated "bots."
IT Infrastructure & Management
Schools See 'Incredible Progress' on Internet Connectivity, Report Says
More than 44 million students now learn in classrooms with high-speed Internet, up from just 4 million five years ago, according to EducationSuperHighway.
Classroom Technology
'Homework Gap' Hits Minority, Impoverished Students Hardest, Survey Finds
The lack of access to technology and internet connectivity at home is especially severe among poor, rural, and minority students, a new survey from ACT reveals.
Equity & Diversity
Cyberattacks During FCC's 'Net Neutrality' Fight? Didn't Happen, Agency Now Says
During its contentious debate over net neutrality, the FCC said its public comment system was slowed by cyberattacks. Now the agency says those claims were unfounded.
Classroom Technology
Decoding Fortnite: 5 Things Educators Need to Know About the Hit Video Game
How can schools prevent distractions and survive the Fortnite craze? Educators offer their best tips.
Ed-Tech Policy
At FCC, Democratic Concerns Over K-12: Q&A With Jessica Rosenworcel
From the Lifeline program to E-rate to net neutrality, the current FCC is threatening digital equity, said Democratic Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Districts Counseled on Protecting Web Access After Loss of Net Neutrality
K-12 leaders are trying to prepare for a post-"net neutrality" world by reviewing their contracts with internet service providers to protect the flow of internet content.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Video
Webinar: Maximizing Ed Tech's Reach in Rural School Districts
Technology is a crucial tool to create new opportunities and a wider perspective for students in rural districts. Online courses bring teachers, subjects, and experts to students who wouldn’t otherwise have access to them. Teaching technology skills allows students to compete with their peers from more urban areas. But rural education leaders must be creative in their efforts to pay for and build reliable infrastructure, provide home Internet access for students, and implement ed-tech programs. In this webinar, Matt Akin, superintendent of the Piedmont City school district in Alabama, and a 2016 Education Week Leaders to Learn From honoree, shares the strategies he has used to digitize his school system.
Ed-Tech Policy
The E-Rate Program: 6 Big Numbers to Know
The state of the federal E-Rate program is mostly strong, with some areas of concern, according to a new report from Funds for Learning.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Opinion
In a Fast-Paced World, Baseball Has Something to Teach Us
As children’s lives are increasingly dominated by technology, baseball’s unhurried pace can be instructive, notes teacher David Polochanin.
IT Infrastructure & Management
FCC Delays, Denials Foil Rural Schools' Broadband Plans
Hundreds of state and local efforts to connect rural schools to fiber-optic networks have run into roadblocks over the past two years.
Ed-Tech Policy
FCC Seeks Comment on Access to WiFi for Schools and Libraries
The E-Rate provided billions of dollars for "category two" requests from schools and libraries. The FCC wants to know how the program is working.