The Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) is looking for insight from Texans as it prepares to develop the state’s first broadband plan. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is also touring the state to gather feedback. Those who wish to submit feedback can complete an online survey.

High-speed internet has become a necessity for all aspects of daily life but especially for education. Areas without access to high-speed internet are at a disadvantage, especially for students and teachers.

One out of six public school students in Texas do not have access to high-speed internet, according to The Texas Tribune. The Classroom Connectivity Initiative reports that nearly 275,000 students in Texas need more bandwidth as education continues to progress digitally.

Operation Connectivity, a state survey, also provided more troubling data in 2020, stating 17% of Texas students lack high-speed internet access, and 30% of Texas students do not have access to an adequate learning device at home.

Overall, 311,000 households in Texas are currently underserved by broadband internet access with 89% being in rural areas, according to the FCC.

The areas most affected by this “Digital Divide” in Texas include Brownsville, Harlingen, and Beaumont, which were ranked in the top 20 of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s worst-connected cities in 2019.

Currently, the Texas BDO awards grant low-interest loans and other incentives to internet service providers that actively work to expand internet service to areas that are underserved, whether rural or urban, by lack of access to high-speed internet. In addition to education, the Texas BDO also strives to get access to adequate internet connection to farms/ranches.

If you would like to assist the BDO in bringing high-speed internet to schools in Texas and share your experiences with broadband internet in your local area, you can fill out the survey by clicking this link.