Millions of Students Are Still Without WiFi and Tech—Why Haven’t Policymakers Stepped Up?

From the moment schools shut down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that many districts were ill-equipped to support their students from afar. They just weren’t ready for distance learning, and a big part of that was that too many students lacked adequate WiFi access to get to virtual class.

Cases like 2020’s Cayla J. v. California Department of Education, which charges that schools in the state are violating the constitutional rights of children of color by not providing adequate distance education, called out state Departments of Education for failing to provide better WiFi options than visiting a local Taco Bell.