Benton Institute for Broadband & Society - Digital Literacy

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program

Internet/Broadband

Marginalized Populations

Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

Closing Michigan's Digital Skill Divide

zwalker@benton.org — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 20:36:04 +0000

The digital divide isn’t just about access to broadband and computers and other hardware, it’s also about access to skills. Massive investments made through the bipartisan infrastructure law will send billions of dollars to states and localities across the U.S. over the next five years to help close the digital divide. This includes millions that will flow to Michigan through the Digital Equity Act and the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. New research demonstrates the urgency and the payoff if Michigan directs a significant portion of these resources to high-quality digital skills training programs.

Benton Content:

https://nationalskillscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/NSC-MI_factsheet_…

Teaser:

Some facts about Michigan's digital divide

Source:

National Skills Coalition

Send date:

Wed, 04/24/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/23/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Tue, 04/23/2024

Coverage Type:

Analysis

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Level of Government

Federal

State

Closing Georgia's Digital Skill Divide

zwalker@benton.org — Tue, 23 Apr 2024 20:29:27 +0000

The digital divide isn’t just about access to broadband and computers and other hardware, it’s also about access to skills. Massive investments made through the bipartisan infrastructure law will send billions of dollars to states and localities across the US over the next five years to help close the digital divide. This includes $1.3 billion that is slated to flow to Georgia through the Digital Equity Act and the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. New research demonstrates the urgency and the payoff if Georgia directs a significant portion of these resources to high-quality digital skills training programs.

Benton Content:

https://nationalskillscoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/GA_DigitalDivide_…

Teaser:

Some facts about Georgia's digital divide

Source:

National Skills Coalition

Send date:

Wed, 04/24/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/23/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Tue, 04/23/2024

Coverage Type:

Analysis

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

Level of Government

Federal

State

Local Government Restructuring Lab

benton — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 20:39:20 +0000

This project explores three unique case studies which address digital access, affordability and adoption in low-income multi-family housing. Case studies from the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma, the Jersey City Housing Authority and the Seattle Housing Authority showcase the importance of research assessing the digital divide, community coalitions and public private partnerships to extend broadband coverage and digital navigators to facilitate adoption. By examining cases from diverse geographical regions and demographic contexts, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexities surrounding broadband deployment and digital equity initiatives across different communities.

Benton Content:

https://labs.aap.cornell.edu/sites/aap-labs/files/2024-04/report_acssessing_the_…

Teaser:

The complexities surrounding broadband deployment and digital equity initiatives across different communities

Source:

Author:

Send date:

Tue, 04/23/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/22/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Mon, 04/22/2024

Coverage Type:

Research

https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/spanberger-kaine-valadao-lead-bipart…

Affordability/Cost/Price

Adoption

Universal Broadband

Research

Bipartisan, Bicameral Effort to Expand Digital Skills in Workforce Training

benton — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:22:11 +0000

Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Representative David Valadao (R-CA-22) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand access to digital skills training for American job seekers. The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act would amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a new “Digital Skills at Work” grant program to expand digital skills training within postsecondary education, adult education, and workforce development systems. This legislation would make specific, targeted investments in digital skills training to help Americans seeking jobs or upskilling opportunities and Americans with barriers to employment learn or build digital skills. Additionally, this bill would advance access to good-paying jobs and support the development of digitally resilient education and workforce systems. Specifically, the Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act would:

Create digital skills training programs. This legislation would create formula funding grants for states based on a combination of population, number of working-age residents, and number of residents with low digital literacy skills (determined by educational attainment, earnings, and limited English proficiency).
Increase digital equity. This bill would creative competitive grants for localities and organizations based on how the funds will be used and the populations that will receive services, including individuals with barriers to employment and historically underrepresented populations.
Require performance accountability. This legislation would require states, localities, and organizations that receive a grant under this bill to report their awards publicly

Benton Content:

Teaser:

The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act

Source:

US Senate

Send date:

Fri, 04/19/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/18/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Thu, 04/18/2024

Coverage Type:

‘The Internet Is Everything'. What It’s Like To Parent When You Don’t Have Basic Computer Skills

zwalker@benton.org — Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:22:52 +0000

Up until last year, Nancy Navarro didn’t know how to check her kids’ grades or schedule online appointments. She had Wi-Fi at home so her 15 and 11-year-old kids could do their homework on their school-issued laptops, but she wasn’t online herself very often. But then she noticed that her kids’ school was offering free digital training classes through the local nonprofit EveryoneOn, which aims to connect as many underserved people as possible on the internet. Navarro took the class and learned how to identify spam, use Google docs and other basic computer tasks. She was also given a free Chromebook from the organization, which will allow her to keep practicing at home. Navarro's experience is reflected in a new pilot study conducted by EveryOne CEO Norma Fernandez. The research explores what’s motivating underserved Latina and Black women in L.A., along with women from Milwaukee and the Bay Area, to pursue digital skills training, and details some of the challenges they face along the way. It was published by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. Fernandez says very little is known about the intimate experiences of women, and specially women of color, who don’t have access to the internet or personal devices. “I really wanted to glean a more layered understanding of the digital divide from their perspective,” Fernandez said. “They’re the folks who are sitting at the center of the [the issue] and therefore experts on how to solve it,” she said.

Benton Content:

https://laist.com/news/the-internet-is-everything-what-its-like-to-parent-when-y…

Teaser:

EveryoneOn CEO Norma Fernandez wanted to learn more about women of color's experiences as part of the digital divide

Source:

LAist

Author:

Nereida Moreno

Send date:

Tue, 04/16/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/15/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Mon, 04/15/2024

Coverage Type:

Reporting

Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

Marginalized Populations

Individuals with a Language Barrier

Research

Headlines Specific Topic:

Benton Foundation

Bridging the Gap: Can $90 Billion in Broadband Funding Close the Digital Divide?

benton — Sun, 14 Apr 2024 17:20:50 +0000

To connect more Americans, Congress designated a slice of the $1.2 trillion 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Act), as well as a portion of the $350 billion 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that passed to provide financial relief during the COVID pandemic, to fund projects that would cross this digital divide. All told, the bills provide around $90 billion in funding for connectivity spread across a plethora of initiatives. The question remains: Will this colossal sum be enough to bridge the digital divide? If it doesn't connect every American, how many will be left out of the modern digital world? Some of the $90 billion has already been spent, but the largest chunk is waiting to be assigned state-by-state, providing a once-in-a-lifetime pile of money dedicated to solving a difficult problem with many thorny issues and piecemeal solutions.

Benton Content:

https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/bridging-the-gap-can-90-billion-in-broadband-…

Teaser:

Congress has a war chest of funding to connect every American left out of the modern digital world. Will it be enough?

Source:

C|Net

Author:

David Lumb

Send date:

Mon, 04/15/2024

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 4/12/2024

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

Include summary in newsletter email:

Publish Date:

Sun, 04/14/2024

Coverage Type:

Reporting

Agenda

Federal Communications Commission

National Telecommunications and Information Administration