PHOENIX — The internet is a large part of most people's lives: from surfing the web and online shopping to entertainment and work, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn't use the internet at least once during the day.
Phoenix City Councilwoman Laura Pastor of District 4 said when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, it created a digital divide in Phoenix schools, exposing which students couldn’t work because they didn’t have internet.
“They had access to the library, school, Starbucks or Burger King. But when the shutdown happened there was no access," Pastor said. "That demonstrated to us that we needed to solve a problem so this never happens again and students will have access at all times.”
At the latest Phoenix City Council meeting, the council unanimously approved using money from the American Rescue Plan Act to bring more free high-speed internet to low-income communities and schools.
At the meeting, Phoenix Councilwoman Kesha Hodge Washington of District 8 said Phoenix Community Economic Development Director Christine Mackay told her that 25% of students don’t have access to the internet.
"The digital divide is great in our city's urban areas where the lowest incomes still lack connectivity," Washington said during the meeting. "When CED director Chris Mackay recently briefed me she highlighted a number that literally made my jaw drop: 25% of students do not have access to internet."
It was unclear if that statistic was specifically for Phoenix, Arizona or the country overall. NEA research from 2020 shows that 25% of school-aged children across the country live in households without broadband access or a web-enabled device, such as a computer or tablet.
Common Sense Media reported in 2022, 335,558 students across Arizona or about 29% of the state's students and 4,757 teachers in Arizona, or about 10% of teachers, lack adequate internet access.
"Imagine trying to learn in a world where you do not have access to the internet," Washington said.
The city has now partnered with Phoenix Union, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, and 14 feeder schools and community colleges to address and fix this issue.
To find the areas and schools that are in need of high-speed internet access the most, the groups uses a "DECC," or a digital education connection canopy.
The DECC surveys the city to find areas that lack the infrastructure and to eventually place poles on city or school property to provide internet.
“The reason to close the digital divide is to provide access, fairness, and equity in our communities," Pastor said. "We recognized there were the ‘have nots’ and the ‘haves’. So, this educational canopy provides everyone who doesn’t have internet, internet.”
Pastor said this is a part of the Community Wireless Network Project to make sure all students have equal educational opportunities.
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