Digital Equity Program Manager Lauren Thompson on building a people-centered program, maximizing federal funding and making sure residents have the tools they need to get online in Connecticut.
Plus, initial proposals for BEAD program funding have been approved in two more states, findings from a new report emphasize the role libraries play in bridging the digital divide, and more.
The list of potential uses for any leftover BEAD funding includes digital equity, and one state has a plan that would direct the money toward the work for years to come.
The New York State Office for the Aging is giving older adults more options to connect with each another and the world by providing them with a variety of technologies — and the skills they need to use them.
Plus, Massachusetts has added three members to its digital accessibility board, a federal resource on digital literacy aims to support community needs, and more.
Plus, the USDA is providing $25 million for rural broadband; Pennsylvania offers $20 million worth of devices; Raleigh, N.C., gets a state grant; and more.
A Digital Champion grant will allow Haywood Community College in North Carolina to develop curriculum for local education sites and hire a full-time digital navigator to provide digital literacy skills for the community.
Artificial intelligence tools trained on non-representative data have the potential to exacerbate inequities in the education system, unless developers train better ones and educators are strategic about using them.
The grants range between $75,000 and $150,000 each, and they are spread out between 10 different cities across the country, many of which are working to boost digital skills training.
Two local governments have taken steps to make residents aware of their digital rights. Experts argue that cities actually have a responsibility to do so.
