Transitioning to a remote learning environment, especially during times of uncertainty, is no easy feat. School districts must be prepared to tackle numerous challenges — from dealing with data privacy threats in virtual classrooms to ensuring that educators are prepared to teach in an online environment.

But before even launching a tech initiative to shift learning and teaching online, school districts should assess whether students and teachers have the devices and internet connectivity necessary to successfully use remote learning tools in the first place.

According to a 2019 EducationSuperHighway report, 99 percent of schools across the country have enough bandwidth to support digital learning in the classroom and can scale their networks when needed. Yet 14 percent of school-age children — approximately 7 million — still live in homes without internet access, according to the most recent federal data.

Plus, a recent survey of superintendents conducted by The School Superintendents Association shows that 81 percent of those who responded said that the lack of internet access hinders them from transitioning to a fully online learning environment, making it the top barrier.

“Even today, there’s no funding for bringing internet to the home for students who don’t have access to it, so when it comes to remote learning, districts really only have a couple of choices,” says Frankie J. Jackson, director of strategic initiatives for the Texas K–12 CTO Council and an independent K–12 CTO.