WiFi-equipped school buses help students get online

The digital age continues to spark creative developments in education. Wireless gadgets are now commonplace in the typical American classroom. But while technology is helping thousands of students reach new heights in their education, many others are falling behind. Dubbed "the homework gap" by researchers, students without the use of reliable internet access at home find it harder to complete and submit homework assignments, further expanding the inequality already seen in low-income communities. While some US schools provide their students with laptops or iPads, almost 5 million American households with school-aged children lack broadband in the home. Low-income homes with children are four times more likely to lack broadband as middle or high income families.  With the gap widening, some school districts have taken it upon themselves to change this dynamic by introducing an innovative solution. WiFi school buses are one new approach to help students without access to fast broadband at home get connected. The school buses are equipped with routers and students use a public network to connect to the internet. This allows children who have long commutes, which can be two hours each day, to finish homework assignments on their journey.