Sens King, Capito Introduce Bill to Give Low-Income, Rural Students Educational Tools Needed to Succeed

Sens Angus King (I-ME) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Digital Learning Equity Act of 2015, major legislation that would support innovative ways to improve student access to the Internet and other digital learning resources outside of the classroom. The Digital Learning Act of 2015 aims to narrow the growing digital divide by supporting innovative ways to ensure students stay connect and extend access to digital learning opportunities when the leave the classroom.

This bill would support states and school districts in piloting creative methods to increase student access to digital learning resources outside of the school day with the goal of increasing student, parent, and educator engagement and improving the ability of students to participate in new learning models, apply for work opportunities, and fill out college applications and financial aid forms. The legislation also directs the US Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to conduct a national study of the data associated with this growing digital divide, including information on the barriers to students having Internet access at home, how educators are adjusting classroom instruction to cope with this challenge, and how a lack of home Internet access impacts student participation and engagement.