In recent years Internet access in public schools has become an integral part of the education experience. But a new report by Education Week shows how rural school districts are frequently charged 2.5 times their urban counterparts for Internet. According to the Center for Rural Affairs, rural schools disproportionately lack access to fiber-optic connections and other modern technologies. Experts say these tools are essential to meeting long-term federal school connectivity targets.
But the news isn’t all bad. Efforts are underway to bring affordable, high-speed Internet to the 12 million students attending America’s rural schools. The number of students without access to adequate Internet connections has been cut in half over the past two years. In addition to federal efforts to solve the issue, significant progress has also been made at the state level.