News
The state of Kansas has received over $8 million to begin implementing their digital equity plan, which recently received federal approval.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
The governor of Kansas has called the federal government’s approval of the state’s digital equity plan a “significant milestone,” one which is already leading to the release of funds for the state.
According to the Kansas Office of Broadband, the now-approved plan presented a strategy that included training in digital skills, affordable access plans, and plans to provide access to digital devices.
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the approval of the Kansas digital equity plan last month, with a statement that revealed the plan was accepted.
“Using $692,664 from the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, Kansas created a plan aimed at addressing disparities in digital access, skills and affordability across the state,” the NTIA’s release stated.
Jade Piros de Carvalho, the director of the Kansas’s broadband development office, said her office is aware that many Kansans “experience barriers to full participation in the digital economy.”
Piros de Carvalho, who recently appeared on our Beyond the Cable podcast to discuss progress combatting her state’s digital divide, said the approval of the plan confirms her office’s commitment to addressing any factors that could limit the deployment of broadband in their area.
In her appearance on Beyond the Cable, Piros de Carvalho said her office intends to double down on earlier efforts they’ve undertaken to close digital gaps in the state, like skills training and providing access to devices.
Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland commented on the state’s strategy in the state’s April announcement about the digital equity funding.
“By expanding access to devices and digital skills training, we will open new economic opportunities for people and businesses across Kansas,” Toland said. “Our state is ready to unlock the potential of every Kansan and each community so they can prosper in the digital economy.”
Click here to review the Kansas Digital Equity Plan in its entirety, which has been aligned with the state’s Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Five-Year Action Plan, according to the Kansas Office of Broadband Development’s release.
With federal approval, the state was allocated $8.2 million to begin implementing the plan, the release stated.
