The "homework gap": 12 million schoolchildren lack internet

The "homework gap" affects 12 million U.S. school-age kids. By the numbers:

• 15% of households with school-age children don't have a high-speed connection at home. That number is higher among low-income households, one-third of which lack broadband access.
• 35% of teens say they at least sometimes rely on their cellphone to finish their homework. That number creeps up to 45% for teens living in households that earn less than $30,000 a year.
• 12% of teens say they at least sometimes use public Wi-Fi to complete homework assignments because they don't have a connection at home.

Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel calls the homework gap the "cruelest part of the digital divide." "It's the most important issue of digital equality we face. It's not about indulgent surfing online, it's about teaching students how to use resources online to supplement how they find information and understand the world. We're going to harm their ability to perform jobs, the majority of which now require digital skills." She has proposed using excess funds from spectrum auctions to fund initiatives to narrow the gap, like providing library loans of Wi-Fi hotspots.