CUYAHOGA COUNTY, Ohio — Cuyahoga County has donated 300 hotspots to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to distribute to students without internet access in an effort to reduce the digital divide throughout the city as students must rely on internet access to complete schoolwork during school shutdown.
"More than 25% of the families in Cuyahoga County do not have a computer or Internet access. How can their children do their online homework? We've recognized this problem of lack of connectivity for years, said Armond Budish, Cuyahoga County executive, during a Friday briefing on coronavirus.
The hotpots that were supposed to be used for the March in-person primary election were provided by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. The hot spots will be replaced for the November election.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the digital divide in Cuyahoga County. We know that almost 25 percent of homes in the county lack in-home internet access of any kind, and the children without internet access and computers will struggle to access resources to continue their education while schools are closed," Budish said.
The county worked with AT&T to provide Wi-Fi access for free for two months for each of the hot spots. CMSD will distribute the spots.
A map shows each of the CMSD meal pick-up locations that identify places where public Wi-Fi is also available nearby.
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