Senators Urge Negotiators to Close Digital Divide, Homework Gap in Coronavirus Funding Package

Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Edward Markey (D-MA) led a letter with 10 of their colleagues in urging leadership to address the digital divide and the homework gap within the phase three coronavirus funding package. As more and more schools transition to online learning due to the impact of the coronavirus, students without access to internet risk falling significantly behind their classmates. The homework gap – which refers to students who do not have access to internet at home and are therefore unable to complete online homework – is estimated to impact over 12 million students across the country. In Maryland, studies have shown that 16 percent of students do not have access to broadband internet and 12 percent do not have computers at home. Senator Van Hollen has also introduced legislation to address this systemic issue.