As Part Of 'Operation Connectivity', School Buses Will Bring High-Speed Internet To Dallas ISD Families
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Several Dallas Independent School District buses will be parked at apartment complexes to serve as mobile hotspots and tech centers for those who need it.
On Wednesday the buses will offer service to students at the Highland Hills Apartments and Rosemont at Lake West.
The new statewide initiative, called 'Operation Connectivity', looks to provide neighborhoods and children with internet access and device solutions in areas that have the highest percentage on non-connectivity.
The program began in the DISD when Superintendent Michael Hinojosa set out to tackle the problem of the lack of high-speed internet and/or home laptops for many students causing an interruption to their learning.
During the COVID-19 crisis internet access was the the only way to do everything from applying for jobs and seeing doctors via telemedicine to taking classes online. "Having broadband Internet is not a luxury, it is a necessity," Hinojosa said.
According to the DISD, Dallas ranks number six in the country, and number one in Texas, of urban cities with families without fixed Internet access.