Our most vulnerable students need learning, internet now

Although the city of San Jose has neither authority nor budgetary responsibility over our 19 school districts, the city has a moral responsibility to support their critical work. Among the city’s many educational initiatives, it committed to close the digital divide in San Jose by launching the Digital Inclusion Partnership last year, to build digital skills and expand broadband access. With the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the San Jose Library Foundation, the city launched coding camps for more than 7,000 children, and partnered with East Side Union High School District to connect over 6,000 families to free internet. The city is also building a pipeline of refurbished devices to get devices to our students more affordably. Innovate Public Schools is supporting low-income families in the Bay Area to set up their homes for distance learning and to access online learning resources. Our kids depend on our teachers to do what they do best: provide an excellent education. They need school district leaders to move quickly and creatively to invest in remote learning for teachers and principals. They need the rest of us — particularly those business leaders and donors who might be able to help — to support equitable digital access. 

[Sam Liccardo is mayor of San Jose. Matt Hammer is CEO of Innovate Public Schools.]