Keeping Students Connected and Learning: Strategies for Deploying School District Wireless Networks as a Sustainable Solution to Connect Students at Home

In spring 2020, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the shift to hybrid and remote learning for most schools turned what was once a "homework gap" into a "learning opportunity gap" as devices and internet access became necessary in order to keep students connected and learning. The purpose of this brief is to present strategies for deploying off-campus wireless networks as a sustainable solution to provide home connectivity to all students and educators. This brief shows how school districts have taken diverse approaches to build off-campus wireless networks. Off-campus wireless networks offer a possible long-term approach to solving the home connectivity gap. They may not be a viable solution in all districts; however, we hope the examples highlighted in this brief contribute to the discussion of sustainable, long-term solutions for providing equitable access to high-quality education. The six models highlighted in the brief include: (1) ACPS@Home, Albemarle County Public Schools, Albemarle, VA; (2) Northeast Nebraska Tribal Education Broadband Service, Nebraska Indian Community College (NICC), Northeast NE; (3) ICOE BorderLink Infrastructure Initiative, Imperial County Office of Education, Imperial County, CA; (4) LUSD Community Wi-Fi Network, Lindsay Unified School District, Lindsay, CA; (5) Livewire ConnectME Program, Boulder Valley School District, Boulder, CO; and (6) FUSD Personalized Learning Initiative, Fresno Unified School District, Fresno, CA.