State Task Force Says All Nevada K-12 Students Have Distance Learning Access
Connecting Kids, a task force created to bridge the digital divide for Nevada students, announced that it has met its goal Tuesday.
The group, formed under Gov. Steve Sisolak’s COVID-19 Task Force, has reached and connected every Nevada K-12 student participating in distance learning, either full- or part-time. All students have confirmed at-home access to the internet and a computer, the group said. In August, schools were unable to confirm connectivity for more than 120,000 students.
“This coalition came together when business and community leaders learned some students would be left out of digital learning because their families could not afford access to high-speed internet and a learning-ready device,” former President of Nevada’s State Board of Education Elaine Wynn said.
“Nevada’s digital divide was exacerbating existing inequities and we did not have a moment to waste to address students’ needs,” Wynn said. “Nevada accomplished this for our children through unprecedented cooperation coming from every corner of the State.”
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jhone Ebert said Nevada is one of the first states in the US to confirm connectivity for every student. Some students were reportedly sitting outside of restaurants, libraries or WiFi-equipped school buses to participate in online learning, Connecting Kids officials said.
“Together, we established a coalition centered on trust and dedication, set a clear goal, marshaled resources, and held each other accountable,” COVID-19 Task Force Response Chairman Jim Murren said in a statement. “As we enter a new year and period of recovery, I hope we can build on this success and continue to unite on behalf of our students whose lives have been disrupted during this time.”
Wynn and Murren said the goal became a reality with the help of volunteers door-knocking on homes, local connectivity partners making devices accessible for students and more.
