COTTONWOOD, Ariz. - The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act passed by Congress contains $65 billion aimed at giving every American affordable access to broadband internet service.

Nowhere is the need more pronounced than in small, rural towns in Arizona and elsewhere, where reliable internet is often almost non-existent.

During the pandemic, rural schools in Arizona scrambled to develop online classes, but many students struggled to keep up.

Wes Brownfield, executive director of the Arizona Rural Schools Association said schools in the country, with students spread far and wide, should be first in line for improved access to broadband.

"We knew this avalanche of money would be coming our way," said Brownfield. "But we were concerned that the big broadband infrastructure conduit down the highways to everywhere would overshadow rural communities, where you need to connect a few kids at a time."

The Biden administration found that more than 30 million Americans live in areas where there is no affordable access to broadband. A study by the global Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development found that the U.S. has the second highest broadband costs in the developed world.

Brownfield said he is concerned that building a rural internet system using fiberoptic cables could take too long, adding that a Wi-Fi system might be quicker. He said during the pandemic, rural schools have struggled to meet their students' needs.

"You had people putting Wi-Fi on buses," said Brownfield. "You had people using the Wi-Fi at the school in parking. You had a host of well-intended but not terribly effective remedies."

He said rural teachers and administrators learned a lot developing a long-distance learning systems on the fly and will be better prepared if students are sent home for classes again.

"We've developed very good systems for student collaboration," said Brownfield. "Teachers now know how to do it. They know its advantages, and they know its limitations. And the limitation is you don't get the personal interaction with the kids."

The bill also specifies that companies rebuilding the rural internet system employ highly trained and qualified technicians to ensure that the system is high-quality and reliable.

Amid recent reports of high stress and loneliness among college students, a Nebraska community college has a program focused on community building and connection.

At Northeast Community College in Norfolk, the federally-funded TRIO - College Success Program enrolls about 200 of the roughly 6,500 students seeking a degree.

Joshua Becker, director of the school's TRIO program, said it "sets itself above others" with community building, intensive advising and personal success coaching. It requires TRIO students to meet with an advisor a minimum of three times a semester, which Becker pointed out allows them to catch problems early.

"We're lucky that we are able to check grades constantly with them," Becker explained. "We are able to intervene with them before the struggle is so much that it's insurmountable."

To be eligible, students must meet one of three criteria: neither parent has a four-year degree; their family meets federal low-income guidelines; or they have a documented learning, physical or emotional disability.

Becker attributes much of the TRIO program's success -- including a 66% graduation rate, compared to 53% collegewide -- to the trusting relationships the staff develop with students.

As important, he said, are the relationships the TRIO students develop with their peers. Fostering the relationships are community-building activities, including in- and out-of-state field trips and national leadership conferences.

"Because we find the more relationships that they have here on campus, the more likely they are to stick around when things get tough, because they're going to have that support system backing them," Becker noted.

Sidney Bourek, a veterinary tech student and student ambassador, attested to how helpful her TRIO advisors have been.

"With TRIO, if you're having a problem in your personal life or need help with school, need to know who to contact, they're always there," Bourek observed. "They're great about meeting with you based on your schedule."

Bourek added one of the ways the TRIO advisors "set her up for success," was helping with her FAFSA and scholarship applications. She emphasized students prod each other to be successful, too.

"There's some people who don't think they can make it or don't think that they should fill out FAFSA or important stuff like that," Bourek said. "And it's great to have each other to kind of, 'Oh, hey, did you do this, did you do that?' Just check in with each other."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

An initiative by the Hispanic Access Foundation aims to bridge the gap between land-management agencies and access to employment for Latinos and people of color.

The My Access to Network Opportunities project has cultivated partnerships with federal agencies and organizations for professional development and training opportunities for people of color.

Nina Marti, manager of the project for the foundation, said there are often many prerequisites to be considered for a federal job. For many, it is not a lack of drive or skill, but an inability to enter the field in more traditional ways.

"What the MANO project does is, when we enter a partnership with these agencies, we're collaborating to create an environment that not only supports interns and fellows, and addresses those barriers," Marti explained. "But also creates packages, and competitive mentorship and learning opportunities, that will take them to the next level in their career."

Marti added the program involves getting interns fair wages, and funding to support relocation and housing if needed. The goal is to ensure the learning opportunities get people the experience they need to compete in the federal job market, whether it's a particular certification or field experience.

Marti pointed out there is extensive history about how people of color interact with the outdoors, and it includes barriers to owning land, and even recreation. She acknowledged not everyone is aware of the steps and knowledge needed to be considered for land management positions.

In talks with federal agencies, her group emphasized the importance of being open to "nontraditional education backgrounds."

"Particularly as it pertains to Indigenous peoples, who have such a deep understanding of their lands but not through the traditional educational pathway," Marti noted. "Or folks who are engaged in their communities who understand their needs. There are so many different ways to acquire that knowledge."

To young people interested in federal job opportunities but feel they're not qualified, her advice is, "Don't count yourself out." And to people in positions of power within federal agencies, Marti advised it would help them to broaden their own understanding of conservation and environmentalism, which she added will open doors for new stakeholders.

Educator training programs in Georgia would not contain diversity, equity and inclusion terms, if the Georgia Professional Standards Commission decides this month to remove them.

Groups are voicing concerns about it, both for teachers and students. The changes would affect all educators up to Grade 12, from principals and superintendents, to reading specialists and school counselors. The proposal would remove terms like "equitable," and use words like "unique" or "different" instead of "diverse."

Mikayla Arciaga, Georgia director of advocacy and education for the Intercultural Development Research Association, said the result would diminish the evidence-based training teachers want, and create obstacles for addressing student needs.

"It's a politicization of something that should not be political, which is that every classroom should feel safe for every child," Arciaga asserted. "And so, to walk away [from] that language that explicitly said, 'We will serve you regardless of these things,' we're inherently swapping that out for a more deficit-focused lens. I think it has just, like, inherently negative implications."

Proponents of the changes say they are crucial to prevent misinterpretation or confusion about the language, thus better equipping new educators. But Arciaga contended teachers can better serve students from diverse backgrounds if they focus on cultural responsiveness.

In 2020 research from Northwestern College, adopting culturally responsive teaching methods was found to significantly boost student engagement and foster a positive classroom atmosphere.

Mason Goodwin, organizer for the Georgia Youth Justice Coalition, said his organization also opposes the changes. He warned they could not only negatively affect students but reduce competitiveness in terms of hiring and retaining educators.

"I think there's kind-of two sides to this," Goodwin explained. "One is how this impacts future teachers, which is like, all of a sudden, the accreditation that they're getting isn't going to match what other states have. Then in the classroom, our teachers need to be aware of all the different situations students are coming from."

The public had the opportunity to voice opinions on the suggested modifications until May 23, and the commission is set to review them this week, at its Thursday meeting. The changes would take effect July 1 if adopted.


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