Connect K-12 Vice President talks improving school connectivity

"Bandwidth in schools and internet connectivity should never be a bottleneck for kids learning and preparing them for the world."

Omaha, Nebraska (February 11, 2021) - Nebraska state and school district leaders have made huge strides in their efforts to improve school connectivity across the state, according to data published by nonprofit Connected Nation through its Connect K-12 program website.

The state, through the leadership of Network Nebraska, has made huge improvements in school internet connectivity, particularly from 2019 to 2020. Leaders increased the number of school districts meeting or exceeding the federally recommended goal of 1 Mbps per student from 34% to 57%—a 23 percentage point improvement in just a single year (based on data as of January 31, 2021).

After news of those improvements was issues, Nebraska's NRG Media group asked Connect K-12 Vice President, Emily Jordan, to explain how local school districts are making such huge leaps when it comes to school internet connectivity.

During the radio interview (which you can listen to below), Jordan and host, Neil Nelkin, discuss why connecting schools is critical to helping both kids and their communities long-term, how the Digital Divide impacts rural and urban areas, and why internet is no longer just a "luxury."