COVID-19 COMMUNITY RESPONSE
Addressing the Digital Divide Fund will bolster ongoing efforts to increase accessibility for all
When COVID-19 forced area schools to switch to remote online learning this spring, it became apparent that many students were not being reached because of challenges to online access. This news prompted The Columbus Foundation to move quickly to get the detailed facts about this challenge on the table and into the hands of civic leaders, so solutions could be put into place to narrow this gap as quickly as possible.
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nternational civil infrastructure research and planning company AECOM was selected by the Foundation to assess the landscape of broadband access in Columbus and recommend ways to address those gaps. The firm compiled data from a large array of sources, including Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), Columbus City Schools, American Community Survey, census, and private industry data,
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to ensure the report took into account groundwork research previously laid by regional partners and other resources. In July, results of that study were released. In regards to the primary question of whether the access gap was driven by poor broadband infrastructure, the answer was a resounding “no.” Even in the lowest income areas of Columbus, there is at least one high-speed internet provider and
adequate broadband infrastructure for service. Instead, the study found that gaps in access were largely due to a variety of barriers across different demographics, including economic challenges, technological literacy, and computers or other technological hardware. Recommendations for closing the gap ranged from short-term solutions, like subsidies and hot spots, to medium-term solutions, such as the expansion of Wi-Fi access points to include parks, community centers, and pedestrian areas. Long-term, public-private partnerships and new technologies will be necessary components to ensure high-speed internet access to all community members. In addition to commissioning the report, the Foundation coconvened a group of broadband and education experts to discuss ways in which to prioritize action steps to bridge the digital divide. This group of public and private
COLUMBUS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2020 COLUMBUS FOUNDATION
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