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A key question for policymakers today is how do we make the most of the federal government’s historic investment of more than $60 billion to close the digital divide? One key opportunity is to leverage public schools, libraries, and other community anchor institutions, all of which have their own high-speed networks and a keen interest in connecting students and their communities.

OTI’s Wireless Future Project and the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition have partnered to release a new economic study and a set of case studies that demonstrate that extending school and library broadband networks to connect student households for remote learning and other purposes is feasible, cost-effective and more financially sustainable than other options in many cases.

Please join our two organizations for the official release of this important new economic study by economist and telecommunications expert Dr. Raul Katz. Additionally, you’ll hear directly from local anchor institutions – profiled in a companion collection of case studies of school and community networks – about how they have deployed wireless networks on free-to-use public airwaves to connect their surrounding communities and close the persistent “homework gap” for good.

SPEAKERS

• Michael Calabrese, Director, Wireless Future Project, ������Ƶ's Open Technology Institute
• Selwyn Hollins, Director, Internal Services Department, Los Angeles County
• Dr. Raul Katz, President, Telecom Advisory Services
• Philip Neufeld, Executive Officer, Technology Services, Fresno Unified School District
• John Stile, Chief Technology Officer, Council Bluffs Community School District
• John Windhausen Jr., Executive Director, SHLB Coalition

Additional speakers to be announced.