Eliminating the Digital Divide in Rural Southern California - Studio SoCaL
Summary
TLDRIn Coachella Valley, California, where poverty is rampant, the school district has implemented a creative solution to bridge the digital divide. Superintendent Dr. Jesus J. Adam's 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' initiative equips school buses with internet routers, providing students with much-needed Wi-Fi access. This innovative approach has transformed the community, increasing the graduation rate from 27% to 80%. The program, funded by a $45 million school bond, aims to ensure that all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, have access to the internet for educational purposes, highlighting the critical role of technology in modern education.
Takeaways
- 📚 Coachella Valley has a high poverty rate, with many families struggling to make ends meet, and a significant portion of students are on reduced lunch programs.
- 🚌 The school district, led by Superintendent Adams, implemented a creative 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program to provide internet access to students in areas with poor connectivity.
- 💡 The program involved equipping school buses with Wi-Fi routers and solar panels, allowing them to serve as mobile internet hotspots for students.
- 🏛️ Measure X, a school bond worth nearly $45 million, was passed by the community to fund the mobile learning initiative over ten years.
- 📈 The 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' initiative has been credited with significantly increasing the graduation rate from 27% to 80%.
- 🏡 Many students from Coachella Valley live in conditions that make accessing the internet for educational purposes challenging, such as in abandoned railroad cars.
- 🌐 The school district aims to provide 24/7 internet access to students, recognizing that learning should not stop when the school day ends.
- 🎓 Superintendent Adams is focused not only on improving graduation rates but also on ensuring that all residents of the East Valley have access to the internet.
- 🤝 Federal programs like the FCC's E-Rate program provide funding to help schools in rural areas get connected, but there are still millions of households without effective internet access.
- 🌟 The success of the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program has inspired students and their families, with some students motivated to complete their education to provide a better life for their own families.
Q & A
What is the main challenge faced by the students in Eastern Coachella Valley?
-The main challenge faced by the students in Eastern Coachella Valley is poverty, which is comparable to some Appalachian communities and Texas border towns, leading to difficulties in accessing basic resources like the internet.
Why is internet access considered a priority in Coachella Valley?
-Internet access is considered a priority because it is crucial for students to complete assignments and keep up with educational requirements in the 21st century.
What is the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program and how does it work?
-The 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program is an initiative where Wi-Fi routers are installed on school buses, which are then parked in areas where students lack internet access, providing them with connectivity.
How did the school district fund the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program?
-The school district funded the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program through Measure X, a $45 million school bond passed by the community to support the mobile learning initiative over ten years.
What was the initial graduation rate when Adams took the job, and what was the improvement after implementing the program?
-The initial graduation rate was 27% when Adams took the job in 2011. After implementing the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program, the graduation rate jumped to 80%.
How does the school district ensure 24/7 internet access for students?
-The school district ensures 24/7 internet access by parking a few buses with Wi-Fi capabilities in the East Valley overnight, allowing students to connect to the internet at any hour.
What is the role of solar panels in the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program?
-Solar panels are installed on the rooftops of the school buses to power the state-of-the-art routers, making the Wi-Fi service self-sustaining and not reliant on external power sources.
What is the significance of the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program for the students' education?
-The 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program is significant as it provides students with the necessary internet access to complete their homework and participate in online learning, which is vital for their education in the digital age.
What are the aspirations of Superintendent Adams beyond providing internet access for homework?
-Superintendent Adams aspires to connect everyone in the East Valley and potentially become their own internet service provider, recognizing the importance of internet access for the community's future.
How does the community view the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program?
-The community views the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program as a vital resource for education, with students and families recognizing its importance in helping them complete schoolwork and improve their quality of life.
What is the role of federal programs in providing Wi-Fi to rural districts, and what is the current state of internet connectivity in such areas?
-Federal programs like the FCC's E-Rate program provide funding to schools for internet access. However, census data shows that there are still 5 million households with school-age children who are not effectively connected to the internet.
Outlines
📚 Innovative Education in Coachella Valley
The Superintendent of Coachella Valley in California has implemented a creative program to provide Wi-Fi service to students, addressing the digital divide in an area with high poverty rates. Despite economic challenges, the importance of internet access for education has been recognized. The 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' initiative, funded by a $45 million school bond, involves equipping school buses with Wi-Fi routers and solar panels to serve as mobile hotspots. This has significantly improved the graduation rate and is part of a broader effort to ensure all students have access to technology and the internet, which are seen as critical for success in the 21st century.
🌐 Bridging the Digital Divide with Federal Support
The script highlights the efforts of the Superintendent Adams in Coachella Valley to improve educational outcomes by leveraging technology. Despite initial challenges, the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program has been transformative, with the graduation rate increasing to 80%. There's a discussion about federal programs like the FCC's initiative, which allocates $1.5 billion annually to provide Wi-Fi to schools, yet 5 million households with school-age children remain unconnected. The script also touches on the Superintendent's aspirations to expand connectivity beyond homework assistance, aiming to connect the entire East Valley community. The story includes personal motivations of students and their families, emphasizing the program's impact on their educational and life aspirations.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Coachella Valley
💡Wi-Fi on Wheels
💡Digital Divide
💡Poverty
💡Graduation Rate
💡Technology in Education
💡Federal Programs
💡Community Engagement
💡Solar Panels
💡Undocumented Students
💡Honor System
Highlights
A school superintendent in Coachella Valley has implemented a creative program to provide Wi-Fi service to students.
Eastern Coachella Valley has high poverty rates, comparable to some Appalachian communities and Texas border towns.
The importance of internet access is now recognized as a priority for students in Coachella Valley.
The superintendent's initiative includes placing Wi-Fi routers in school buses to reach students in areas without connectivity.
The community supported the 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program by passing Measure X, a $45 million school bond for the initiative.
Students now have 24/7 access to the internet, allowing them to complete assignments from home.
The superintendent's efforts have increased the graduation rate from 27% to 80%.
Solar panels were installed on school buses to power the Wi-Fi routers, showcasing a sustainable approach.
The program aims to provide a competitive edge for students in the 21st century by ensuring technology access.
Federal programs like the FCC's E-Rate provide funding to help schools in rural districts get connected to the internet.
Despite federal assistance, there are still 5 million households with school-age children not effectively connected to the internet.
The 'Wi-Fi on Wheels' program is seen as a vital role in students' education and their future aspirations.
The superintendent has ambitions to provide internet access to the entire East Valley, potentially becoming their own service provider.
The program has inspired students to complete their education and pursue their dreams, such as traveling and working in nice restaurants.
The superintendent has arranged for buses to stay overnight in remote areas, trusting the community to use the Wi-Fi responsibly.
Transcripts
I MET WITH A SCHOOL
SUPERINTENDENT OUT AND COACHELLA
VALLEY, AND HE'S KIND OF A
ROCKSTAR OUT THERE BECAUSE OF
THIS CREATIVE PROGRAM TO GET HIS
STUDENTS WI-FI SERVICE.
EASTERN COACHELLA VALLEY HAS A
LOT OF POVERTY, COMPARABLE TO
SOME APPALACHIAN COMMUNITIES.
EVEN SOME TEXAS BORDER TOWNS.
YOU MIGHT AS WITH SO MANY FOLKS
AT COACHELLA SURVIVING PAYCHECK
TO PAYCHECK, HOW COULD INTERNET
ACCESS BE A PRIORITY?
IT IS NOW.
AND THE STORY YOU'RE ABOUT TO
SEE IS A PART OF PBS SoCAL.
>> THIS PROGRAM IS PART OF PBS
SoCAL'S GRADUATE INITIATIVE.
LET'S LET IT HAPPEN.
>> 30 MINUTES WEST OF THE
SUBURBS OF PALM SPRINGS IS A
DESERT OASIS KNOWN FOR COACHELLA
VALLEY'S MUSIC FESTIVAL.
BUT BEHIND THE CONCERT STRETCHES
A VAST AND ISOLATED LANDSCAPE
WHERE MOST FAMILIES LIVE BELOW
THE POVERTY LINE AND STRUGGLE TO
PAY THE RENT.
>> WE HAVE THE POOREST OF THE
POOR IN OUR COUNTRY.
90% OF OUR INFLUENCE ARE ON
REDUCED LUNCH.
SOME ARE IN ABANDONED RAILROAD
CARS, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE
CHALLENGES THEY FACE.
>> COACHELLA VALLEY BELIEVES THE
RIGHT USE OF TECHNOLOGY IS
CRITICAL FOR THE USE IN THIS
AREA.
>> I DO SEE STUDENTS SOMETIMES
STRUGGLING.
RIGHT NOW, WITH SOME OF THE KIDS
STRUGGLING TO DO CERTAIN THINGS,
I WOULDN'T WANT MY DAUGHTER TO
GO THROUGH ANY OF THAT.
I WOULDN'T WANT HER TO BE A
DROPOUT.
>> WHEN ADAMS TOOK THE JOB IN
2011, THE GRADUATION RATE WAS
27%.
I INITIATIVE
HE KNEW IT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE.
>> WE HAVE 150 STATE MILES TO
COVER.
WHEN WE FOUND THERE WERE SPOTS
IN AREAS WHERE STUDENTS WERE NOT
CONNECTED UNTIL AFTER WE GET
THEM CONNECTED.
ONE OF THE WAYS IS, LOOK, LET'S
PUT WI-FI ROUTERS IN THOSE BUSES
AND LET'S BUST THEM WHERE THEY
NEED IT.
>> FINDING THE FINDING FOR A
FLEET OF BUSES WAS NO EASY TASK.
NEVERTHELESS IN 2012, THE
COMMUNITY PHOTO FOR AND PASSED
MEASURE X, A NEARLY $45 MILLION
SCHOOL BOND TO FUND THE MOBILE
LEARNING INITIATIVE OVER TEN
YEARS.
THEY CALLED THE PROGRAM "WI-FI
ON WHEELS."
>> CAN YOU GIVE ME AN OTHER DAY?
>> IT'S KIND OF COOL THAT WE HAD
INTERNET, BECAUSE WHEN A PROJECT
IS DUE THE NEXT DAY, WE CAN
ACTUALLY SPEND TIME TO DO IT.
>> COMPLETING ASSIGNMENTS WAS
DIFFICULT FOR HER BEFORE GETTING
HER iPAD AND iPOD SERVICE AT
HOME.
>> WE HAD TO TRAVEL TO GO THE
LIBRARY, GET THE BOOKS SHE
NEEDED TO LOOK AT THE
INFORMATION, AND GO HOME.
I DON'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT
I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO
MAKE SURE SHE DOES GET A BETTER
EDUCATION.
>> ADAMS IS DOING ANYTHING HE
CAN TO MAKE SURE THE 20,000
STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL, 90%
HISPANIC AND 10% UNDOCUMENTED
DEVELOP THE SCHOOLS THEY NEED TO
GRADUATE.
>> WE HAD TO PROVIDE THIS FOR
STUDENTS IN ORDER TO COMPETE IN
THE 21ST CENTURY.
>> INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS ON
THE ROOFTOP OF THE SCHOOL BUSES
TO POWER THE STATE OF THE ART
ROUTERS WAS A SOLUTION PROPOSED
BY ADAMS.
>> BEING A MUSICIAN BY TRADE,
WHEN I STARTED OUT 30 YEARS AGO.
YOU'RE ALWAYS CREATING AND
FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO DIFFERENT
THINGS, OR PLAYTHINGS OR DO
THINGS.
I BROUGHT THAT IN MY CAREER TO
EDUCATION.
I'VE HAD SOME DIFFICULT TEA IN
THE PAST, BUT THIS DISTRICT WAS
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING WE DO THAT
MAY BE DIFFERENT.
IT'S GOOD FOR KIDS.
WE GO FOR IT.
>> THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY
RIVERAS, PROVIDES
,
>> AND THEN WE HAVE
WE HAS
POINTING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
DIRECTIONS, THAT'LL COVER A
150-FOOT RADIUS.
>> OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ALLOWS
FOR A FEW OF THESE BUSES TO BE
PARKED THROUGHOUT THE EAST
VALLEY OVERNIGHT FOR
.
IF A LIFELINE TO THE OUTSIDE
WORLD.
>> WANT TO ENSURE THEY HAVE 24/7
ACCESS TO THE INTERNET.
LEARNING DOES NOT AND AT THE END
OF THE SCHOOL DAY.
>> MEAGHAN SMITH IS THE CHF
TECHNOLOGY OFFICER OF THE
UNITED STATES.
IT'S HER JOB TO ADVISE THE
PRESIDENT ON TECHNOLOGY AND
INNOVATION THAT WILL IMPROVE THE
FUTURE.
>> IT SOUNDS LIKE A CREATIVE
IDEA.
TO BE INVOLVED TO HAVE VIDEO
AND HOME INSTEAD OF IN THE CLASS
AS A LECTURE.
>> THERE ARE FEDERAL PROGRAMS IN
PLACE TO HELP PROVIDE WI-FI TO
RURAL DISTRICTS, LIKE THE FCC'S
PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES ONE AND
HALF BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR TO
SCHOOLS.
CENSUS DATA SHOWS THAT THERE ARE
STILL 5 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS WITH
SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN WHO WERE NOT
EFFECTIVELY CONNECTED TO THE
INTERNET.
SMITH SAYS THAT CESTUS CHANGE.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF CREATIVITY
THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE.
MAYBE IT WILL COME FROM OUR
NATIONAL PLAYERS.
WE NEED EVERYONE WORKING ON
THIS.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
FUNDAMENTAL RESOURCE FOR ALL OF
OUR PEOPLE.
IT TRIES ECONOMY.
IT DRIVES COMMUNITY AND OUR
INTERCONNECTION.
>> WITH ADAMS AT THE WHEEL, THE
GRADUATION RATE JUMPED TO 80%.
NOW THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS
ASPIRATIONS BEYOND GETTING THEIR
HOMEWORK DONE.
HE WANTS TO CONNECT EVERYONE IN
THE EAST VALLEY.
>> WE FOUND THAT WE HAD A
PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE
THIRD-PARTY INTERNET SERVICE
PROVIDER COMPANIES NOT WILLING
TO GO INTO SOME OF THE AREAS
WHERE WE SERVE.
IN THE LONG RUN, WE WOULD LIKE
TO BECOME OUR OWN TIME WARNER,
OUR OWN COX COMMUNICATION, IT'S
TOO CRUCIAL FOR US TO HAVE THIS
AXIS BUT NOT TO GO DOWN THIS
PATH.
>> THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THE WI-FI
ON WHEEL PROGRAM IS PLAYING A
VITAL ROLE IN HER EDUCATION.
>> I WANT TO DO THIS FOR MY MOM
BECAUSE MY MOM DIDN'T REALLY GET
THIS IN SCHOOL.
THAT'S WHAT MOTIVATES ME TO
ACTUALLY DO TO FINISH SCHOOL
AND COMPLETE MY WORK AND GET THE
JOB I WANT.
>> I WANT HER TO HAVE A BETTER
LIFE THAN WHAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
I WOULD WANT HER TO DO REALLY,
REALLY GOOD IN SCHOOL SO SHE CAN
GET ALL OF THESE IDEAS THAT SHE
WANTS, NICE RESTAURANTS,
DIFFERENT THINGS.
THAT'S ONE THING SHE WANTS TO
DO.
TRAVEL, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE'S
HOPING TO GO FOR.
>> AND ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE
SCHOOL BUSES.
I MENTIONED IN THE STORY,
SUPERINTENDENT ADAMS HAS A FEW
OF THOSE BUSES OVERNIGHT IN THE
MOST REMOTE AREAS THAT YOU SOUND
SO STUDENTS CAN GET INTERNET AT
ANY HOUR.
ADAMS TELLS ME THE WAY IT WORKS
IS ON THE HONOR SYSTEM.
HE BASICALLY ENTRUSTS THE BUSES
WITH A TRAILER PARK OWNER AND
FAMILIES USING THE WI-FI.
THEY RUN THE RISK OF THE BUSES
BEING THAT ALLIES ARE BEING
STOLEN. RICK AND ELIZABETH, SUPERINTENDANT
Ver Más Videos Relacionados
All Pathways Lead to Success
Headteachers talk about their experiences of Poverty Proofing
China Memutus Rantai Kemiskinan Melalui Pendidikan
Empowering access to education in the age of globalization | Aaron Friedland | TEDxDTU
The Digital Divide | Oscar A. Lopez III | TEDxUTAustin
Rwanda: High Tech Made in Kigali I ARTE.tv Documentary
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)