All state districts will have access to high-speed broadband connections
All 173 districts in Kentucky will have access to high-speed, fiber-based connectivity of more than 480 Megabits per second thanks to a partnership between the state department of education and AT&T.
This new connectivity exceeds a national network infrastructure benchmark of 100 Mbps, which was set by the State Educational Technology Directors Association.
Counties across the state have worked to increase their broadband capacity as online assessments, video resources, and mobile devices have become more prevalent in schools.
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) said the state is first in the nation to meet that national goal.
“This is just another way Kentucky is leading the nation in public education,” Commissioner of Education Terry Holliday said in an announcement from the Department of Education. “Our teachers told us they needed a faster, more reliable system to take advantage of all of the great digital instructional resources and other technology-based education tools and supports that are available. So, I’m glad we were able to meet the need and do what is best for student learning.”
“This is a game-changer for Kentucky’s teachers and students,” said Dr. Jim Evans, superintendent of Lee County Schools. “At the same time, it is exciting to see these speeds and this type capacity deployed to school districts all across the Commonwealth, whether urban or rural.”
State lawmakers said they were encouraged by the partnership and the resources it will offer to students.
“This is a great example of private industry working closely with state government to meet the needs of the Commonwealth, and I am thrilled to know that our schools are leading the way and our students have access to a level of high-speed internet that is among the best in the nation,” said State Senator David Givens.
“Every day we see a rapidly increasing rate of adoption of high-speed internet in Kentucky, in our businesses, in our homes, and definitely in our schools,” said State Representative Rocky Adkins. “This announcement is great for our schools and shows that our business community and our state government are committed to establishing Kentucky’s position as a leader in modern technology.”
Material from a press release was used in this report.
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