On Monday, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond held the first Digital Divide Taskforce (Taskforce) meeting to hear from internet service providers on their respective efforts to mitigate the impacts on students struggling with connectivity issues during the COVID-19 crisis. The Taskforce also heard testimony from educational leaders representing two California school districts, including the Superintendent of the Williams Unified School District in Colusa County. Both urban and rural school districts are grappling with the cumulative effects of inequitable broadband deployment in California which has deprived rural students of any viable internet access and, similarly, urban students from any affordable access options.
The Taskforce was established by the State Superintendent on April 16th and is comprised of six legislative members, including three Assemblymembers representing rural districts. The Taskforce was formed to find solutions to the pervasive technology gap that continues to exist and to create a formal plan for closing the digital divide. More information on the Taskforce can be found here.