Type of Intervention: Specific Action
Sectors Involved: Education
Intervention Categories: Finance policy and financial aid; Aid distributed to community groups
Level of Jurisdiction: Texas
Lead People/Agency: Governor Greg Abbott, Dr. Hinojosa
Overview: Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and Dallas Independent School District (DISD) today launched Operation Connectivity, a statewide initiative to deliver internet connectivity and device solutions for school districts, families, and students in Texas. Operation Connectivity was originally started in Dallas to address the the lack of high speed internet and/or home laptops for many DISD students which caused an interruption to their learning, as education in the classroom transitioned to at-home digital instruction due to COVID-19. This initiative now aims to provide internet connectivity to hundreds of thousands of students statewide.
Full details here: https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-tea-dallas-isd-launch-operation-connectivity-statewide
Type of Justification: Advice of EXTERNAL expert advisor or advisory committee
Evidence/Justification: As Texas students continue their education at home through virtual instruction, it is essential that we provide them with the resources they need to connect and communicate online, said Governor Abbott. “I applaud Dr. Hinojosa and DISD for developing this innovative initiative for Dallas schools, and look forward to expanding Operation Connectivity statewide so that we can implement reliable and effective solutions that will close the digital divide for students across the Lone Star State.”