Our schools need better Internet access, capacity

[Commentary] Only 23 percent of America's schools have the bandwidth they need for the 21st century classroom. That's 40 million kids, the next generation of talent we need across every segment of society, being left behind. The most common problems: slow connections to schools, outdated content filters that create network bottlenecks and spotty Wi-Fi. Even in Silicon Valley, only 39 percent of schools have the Internet infrastructure they need.

So why do we have this problem? In part, it's because computers are moving from the principal's office and computer lab to the student's desk - increasing the demand for bandwidth by more than 10-fold. It's also partly a lack of resources: Few school districts have the capital to connect their schools to fiber and upgrade their Wi-Fi networks. Even fewer can afford the specialized networking and purchasing expertise needed to design, implement, monitor and manage a network. Addressing these issues will be the equivalent of upgrading our schools from dial-up to broadband.

The Federal Communications Commission action to modernize its subsidy program provides an opportunity to address this. Digital learning can transform education, but first, Congress and the FCC must have the vision to ensure that our schools have world-class Internet infrastructure. We need to convince Washington that upgrading our schools must be a national priority.

[Evan Marwell is the CEO of EducationSuperHighway, a nonprofit with the mission of upgrading the Internet infrastructure in America's K-12 schools for digital learning.]