DIGITAL POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR STATES - Access and Infrastructure - Digital Career Pathways - Virtual Choice Opportunities - Digital Teaching and Learning

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum

DIGITAL POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR STATES outlines four policy areas to bridge the digital divide and strengthen K-12 education access and outcomes. It details access and infrastructure priorities, digital career pathways supported by broadband workforce development, virtual choice opportunities enabled by home connectivity and devices, and digital teaching and learning practices that build 21st-century digital skills. The framework also shares model policies, briefs, toolkits, webinars, and state and partner spotlights, highlighting procurement strategies, affordability research, and emerging AI considerations for educators.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Access and Infrastructure

Model policies, briefs, and procurement approaches

Digital Career Pathways

Broadband workforce and sector partnerships

Virtual Choice Opportunities

Course access and virtual instruction resources

Digital Teaching and Learning

Instructional technology and educator digital readiness

AI considerations in education

DIGITAL POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR STATES To bridge the digital divide and fully leverage digital resources, ExcelinEd has identified four key policy areas for state leaders to focus on: access and infrastructure, digital career pathways, virtual choice opportunities and digital teaching and learning. | Access and infrastructure policies and best practices ensure states identify students’ needs, effectively leverage funds and develop sustainable models for connectivity and device access.
| As technology evolves, exciting and highpaying digital career pathways provide students with new ways to earn a living that offers rewarding experiences and chances to advance.

Policies | | --- | --- | | Digital

Digital access supports virtual choice
opportunities through full-time virtual
schools, online course access programs and opportunities for virtual tutoring and student supports. |
Digital teaching and learning include the tools, instructional materials and professional learning that prepares educators to effectively integrate technology. Digital literacy training for students and families ensures they can access and apply that instruction. | The toolkit is regularly updated as ExcelinEd identifies and develops new resources. Access and Infrastructure States can consider several model policies that can establish baseline requirements for state agencies to raise awareness of broadband subsidy programs, prioritize investments that increase broadband and device access for educational purposes, and establish regular reporting on educational broadband and device access and remaining needs. • Model policy and policy brief: Closing the Digital Divide in Education Act • Model policy: Digital Devices for All Act • Blog and communications toolkit: Closing the Home Broadband Affordability Gap • Blog: Quantifying the Digital Divide: Surprising Disparities in Broadband Affordability Across U.S. States States can also assist districts in establishing cost-efficient, sustainable uses of technology-related funding through state procurement options. By negotiating competitive pricing on behalf of districts, statewide procurement efforts can result in substantial cost savings on devices and connectivity. • Model policy, policy brief, and webinar: Competitive State Procurement for Digital Educational Resources • Policy brief: Achieving K-12 Broadband Goals Using a State RFI • Policy brief and blog: Lowering the Cost of In-School Internet through E-Rate • State spotlight: State Success in K-12 Procurement of Connectivity and Devices (Texas) • State spotlight: Ohio’s Broadband RFI Digital Career Pathways With the infusion federal and state broadband expansion grant dollars, students have new opportunities to pursue highdemand, high-wage jobs in broadband-related fields. And without a prepared workforce, states will be unable to effectively leverage available funds or maintain their systems over time. To meet this workforce shortage, ExcelinEd developed several resources related to the broadband workforce specifically: • Policy toolkit: Strengthening the Broadband Workforce • Blog: Federal Broadband Implementation Requires Next-Gen Workforce • Strategies from Ohio’s Broadband and 5G Sector Partnership, in which ExcelinEd participates, including a policy brief, slide deck, and conversation with Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. While the broadband workforce is critical to closing America’s digital divide, ubiquitous connectivity opens up numerous other digital career pathways. • Webinar: Strengthening States’ Digital Career Pathways featuring leaders in Ohio, South Carolina and Georgia discussing careers in broadband, cybersecurity, and financial technology • Blog: What Students and Teachers Think About STEM, AI and Jobs of the Future Virtual Choice Opportunities When students have access to home broadband and educational digital devices, they can take advantage of educational opportunities

FAQs

What are the four key policy areas in the framework for state leaders?

The framework focuses on access and infrastructure, digital career pathways, virtual choice opportunities, and digital teaching and learning.

How does the document suggest states improve connectivity and device access for education?

It recommends baseline requirements, prioritizing investments in broadband and devices, regular reporting of educational needs, and state procurement approaches to reduce costs for districts.

What resources does the framework provide to support virtual learning opportunities?

It highlights resources such as model policies for course access, course access policy summaries, briefs and blogs on leveraging virtual learning, and state or partner spotlights including virtual school initiatives.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum