Bridging Our State’s Digital Divide

It was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and, like others across the state, students from the Marvell-Elaine School District were dealing with the challenges of virtual learning. Unfortunately, many children in the area also faced what often felt like an insurmountable barrier to staying on track with their schoolwork—a lack of access to reliable, affordable broadband.

A growing number of local families had to drive 30 minutes away to Helena for free Wifi in a fast-food parking lot to complete their daily homework assignments. At the time, Elaine only had three antennas on its Main Street, and these transmitters were prone to hours-long outages in inclement weather. As now-Mayor Lisa Hicks-Gilbert later shared at a community meeting, “The residents of Elaine certainly deserve better.” Unfortunately, the small Delta town wasn’t—and still isn’t—alone in suffering from connectivity issues.

Today, more than ever, Arkansas K-12 students rely on the internet. But what’s the fallback option for those children without dependable broadband at home or within their communities at convenient and safe locations? These students lose access to critical educational resources and enrichment opportunities they need for long-term academic and workforce success. Data shows families in rural areas are disproportionately digitally unserved or underserved, often exacerbating existing inequities in students’ outcomes.

That’s why, as a state, we are committed to bridging this digital divide. In 2021, Heartland Forward established the Arkansas Connectivity Coalition to help address these challenges. Since then, more than 15 organizations, including Forward, have joined forces to ensure the strategic allocation of $1 billion appropriated through the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) to upgrade and expand our networks. The Arkansas State Broadband Office has determined broadband goals and gathered data so federal dollars can reach areas of greatest need and impact. As Sanci Richardson, CEO of The BRIDGE Consulting Group, noted, “Partnerships in the digital equity space are powerful because they leverage the strengths, resources, and expertise of diverse stakeholders to address complex and multifaceted challenges.”

With the coalition’s continued support, the Arkansas State Broadband Office (ASBO) is now steadily tackling our digital gaps. At its BEAD Digital Opportunity Conference in June, the ASBO shared how it has already received public review and comments on the first volume of its BEAD Initial Proposal. It also highlighted how the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration has approved Arkansas’ Digital Skills and Opportunity Plan, which the state crafted to “make digital opportunity an economic benefit and reality for all Arkansans.” Most recently, the ASBO celebrated the opening of the BEAD pre-registration process, with bidding for broadband providers expected to begin this September.

As Forward has witnessed firsthand, ensuring all Arkansans can access reliable, affordable high-speed internet—and the opportunities it affords—isn’t simply a lofty goal. It is an economic necessity that is crucial for our students and our state’s long-term success. The work to strengthen and expand our state’s broadband networks must continue.

Imaobong Dixon, M.Ed., is Forward’s senior manager of policy and engagement. Before joining the team in 2023, she worked as a special projects coordinator in the Pine Bluff Mayor’s office, for the Arkansas Department of Education Division of Career and Technical Education and the Arkansas Innovation Hub. She is a former English Language Arts teacher.