Millions of Americans are working from home and coordinating home learning with their children’s schools.

But for hundreds of thousands of Virginians, their options for working from home or participating in virtual learning just aren’t there. There are 2 reasons why:

First, though it might seem like everyone’s working from home during COVID-19, it couldn’t be further from the truth. The Washington Post covered the massive educational and racial divide in the ability to work from home.

52% of Americans with a college degree say they’re able to work from home, while just 4% of people without a less than a high school degree are able to work remotely. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/22/working-home-reveals-another-fault-line-americas-racial-educational-divide/

Second, lack of broadband access in many communities makes virtual learning nearly impossible.

Our school systems are working to adapt, but without universal broadband, many students are unable to keep up with their peers.

Before COVID-19, there were already too many corners of Virginia where kids had to go to a McDonald’s or public library parking lot to access the internet to do their homework.

Now, with shelter in place orders and social distancing, internet access is out of reach for so many.

I was proud to pass a bill to increase broadband access for hundreds of thousands of people during the 2020 General Assembly legislative session: https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB831

And we must keep up the fight.

Expanding rural broadband would allow more to comfortably telework and learn. And in times like these, broadband would also make sure underserved communities have the option of telehealth initiatives that increase make healthcare accessible to more people, while reducing costs.