![Kansas invests .8M in digital literacy training for underserved populations Kansas invests .8M in digital literacy training for underserved populations](https://i1.wp.com/statescoop.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/05/GettyImages-1244627716.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1)
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced Thursday that the state will donate $2.8 million to 15 organizations across the state to boost digital literacy training programs.
The funding goes to universities, academies, community groups and libraries offering computing courses to groups including convicts, ex-offenders, older people, disabled people and unskilled workers. The funding is provided through a program created in January called Digital Opportunities to Connect Kansans, or DOCK.
“The DOCK program demonstrates our commitment to providing the digital tools Kansans need to drive innovation and compete in the global marketplace,” Kelly said in a news release. “These awards are a critical investment in connecting all Kansans and supporting their success in the economy of the future.”
Among the recipients is the University of Kansas’ Center for Digital Inclusion, which is tasked with providing computer science training to 1,000 “justice-impacted” women, which the state’s announcement said will “provide crucial digital skills for applications.” employment and reintegration into society. after imprisonment.”
The Learning Tree Institute in Greenbush, which provides educational services in six Kansas prisons, is partnering with the Southeast Kansas Educational Service Center to create new learning materials and establish ways to reach 15,000 seniors. That project aims to “improve access to information, reduce social isolation, improve access to health care, and boost employability,” according to the state’s announcement.
Kansas State University Research and Extension and the West Plains Extension District received funding to create a “digital ambassador” program that addresses high-speed Internet access for seniors, minorities, people with disabilities and unskilled workers.
Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas plans to provide free digital literacy training and certifications to rural and underserved populations in South Central Kansas.
The funding follows Kelly’s announcement in January about the DOCK program, which received $4.75 million in funding and requires a 5% match from funding recipients.
Nearly all states are currently developing “digital equity” plans that include digital skills training as a prerequisite for federal broadband funding. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration approved California’s digital equity plan in April, unlocking more than $70 million in federal funds for broadband.
For years, governors have viewed initiatives to improve digital literacy as useful pieces of their economic and workforce development programs. The National Governors Association in 2022 published guidance designed to help states collect data on their workforce, with the goal of informing how to appropriately allocate funds for digital literacy programs.
A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that digital literacy is a widespread social problem. The study showed that most American adults were able to correctly answer fewer than half of the questions on a digital literacy quiz. Basic cybersecurity questions were particularly confusing: Only 28% were able to correctly identify an instance of two-factor authentication, and only 24% understood the private browsing mode feature included in many web browsers.
Kathryn de Wit, director of the broadband initiative at the nonprofit Pew Charitable Trusts, told StateScoop last March that many Americans don’t access the Internet because they don’t have the skills to use digital devices. State and local government leaders frequently cite this disparity as a contributing factor to economic problems such as unemployment and wage stagnation.
Last year, North Carolina spent $4 million to launch a program in which “digital navigators” help people get devices, fix technical problems and apply for federal discounts on their broadband bills.
Written by Colin Wood
Colin Wood is the editor-in-chief of StateScoop and EdScoop. He has reported on government information technology policy for more than a decade, on topics including cybersecurity, IT governance and public safety.
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