Policies > Renewing America > Section 5

Expanding Access to Broadband

The pandemic brought with it a pivot to virtual work and school wherever possible, and access to quality broadband has never been more essential to American life than it is now. Before the pandemic, only 17 percent of workers were working a full week from home -- as of July 2020, 44 percent are working remotely 5 or more days per week. Accessing many social services, including telehealth services, requires broadband as well, meaning adults without connectivity will struggle to access work as well as the help they need to navigate the crisis.

For students, the closure of school buildings in the spring of 2020 disrupted education systems nationwide, and effectively ended instruction for the millions of students who lack broadband or devices, while also having deleterious impacts on their families’ access to economic opportunity, health care, and more. These students are disproportionately people of color, older Americans, people with disabilities, the foreign-born, and people who live in rural areas.

Students and workers who do not have high-speed connections are at a significant disadvantage, with long-term consequences for economic opportunity and mobility. While the federal government plays a leading role in funding expanded access to broadband, state and local policymakers have opportunities to address this challenge.

Rebuilding a New Normal: Key Principles and Policy Goals

Guiding principle: Identify gaps in broadband availability more accurately, and ensure that families and individuals are connected, both by infrastructure and by affordability of access.

  • Availability

    “Crowdsource” data on broadband availability

  • Student Right to Broadband

    Establish a student right to broadband access, devices, and technical support

  • Prioritize Unserved Areas

    Ensure that state funding supports both “last-mile” and“middle- mile” deployment, prioritizing unserved areas

  • Expand Distance Learning

    Provide students with the tools for distance learning

  • Educate Families

    Educate families on the benefits of internet access to increase adoption

Next Section: Modernizing the Social Safety Net