Free Wi-Fi access helps students carry on during five-month break

As school districts and parents face the fact that COVID-19 will keep students from returning to class this school year, the issue of equitable access to broadband is coming to the forefront.

Poplar Bluff R-I Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Patty Robertson said there is concern about students falling into summer learning loss.

Robertson explained she and district teachers have talked about the probability of students coming back behind due to what would be a five-month break. As such, they’re having conversations about how to address that when students do return to class.

In the meantime, the district — and many others — are trying to provide something for students during this time to keep them engaged. However, they have to face an infrastructural barrier for some students and teachers: broadband access.

“We’ve exposed a fatal flaw regionally in Southeast Missouri. We’ve got to get this addressed,” Dr. Scott Dill, R-I superintendent, said.

In an attempt to combat this accessibility issue, Dill said, he’s talked with Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce President Steve Halter about the concern of broadband access for students.

In response, the Chamber put out a request for businesses to provide access to open or guest Wi-Fi spots for students to use for supplemental learning. The district is not putting out any required work during the break, but is offering office hours with teachers and pieces of material that can be used to keep up with topics while out of school.

“Obviously, we are not encouraging people to get out and start rubbing shoulders or anything, but we have Wi-Fi access points at our schools,” Dill said. “But, say you live closer to one of these businesses that potentially has made themselves available to us, then you could just walk up there and sit on the sidewalk for a few minutes to grab what you need.”

Halter said he is seeing an overwhelming response from local businesses that is “very encouraging.” Over 20 businesses and organizations have offered Wi-Fi access for those in need.

While the request was originally for students, Halter pointed out broadband accessibility also is impacting elderly people and those in rural areas during this time as more doctors are using telemedicine.

Locations, such as the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library, Artfully Framed, Lisa Reynolds Insurance Agency, Three Rivers College and First United Methodist Church, are among those who have volunteered.

“Some people may have thought in the past that it would be nice, but it’s just not possible. I’ve definitely not thought that way, but some people have,” Halter said. “It’s not a nice anymore. It’s not a nicety anymore. It’s a necessity.”

Halter has been working on the issue of broadband accessibility, but this pandemic has brought more attention to it.

Crystal Jones from Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission and others have been working with Halter to improve area broadband access, he said.

“We’re currently looking at the funding that’s coming down through the stimulus and probably will come down in future stimulus packages to make sure that in the future our students don’t miss a beat,” he said.