New America
Open Technology Institute

Broadband and Education

Blog Post
Sept. 18, 2013

Access to the Internet is increasingly critical to success both inside and outside of the classroom. Students, parents, and teachers across the United States need access to the digital tools that can transform educational experiences and supplement traditional classroom learning in new and innovative ways. But numerous challenges hinder universal, affordable access to the services and tools that can make digital learning a reality for all students.

Twenty two percent of households with school-age children do not have high-speed Internet access at home, according to a 2010 survey from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Nineteen million Americans don’t have access to broadband in their communities at all. And for students from low-income or rural households, even a basic Internet connection, if available, may be out of the family’s monthly budget. Once you get beyond the barriers to adoption, adequate digital literacy remains a key challenge. Many students, teachers, and parents lack the necessary skills to take advantage of access to the Internet and digital learning tools.

New America Foundation experts in technology and education policy are concerned with intersecting issues related to broadband access and education. We’re engaged in the reform of FCC programs like the E-Rate Fund that help connect students in classrooms, libraries, and at home; we’re concerned with how data caps and other broadband pricing schemes impact the future of online learning; and we want to make sure that connectivity is not the ultimate goal, but rather part of a larger effort to give students, teachers, and parents the skills to take advantage of 21st century tools and opportunities.

To find out more about our core work in this area, browse the links below. For a comprehensive list, see here.

Key resources: