Bill Overview
Title: Closing the Digital Divide for Students Act of 2022
Description: This bill expands the public housing utility allowance for households with children who qualify for free and reduced price school lunch to include the cost of high-speed internet service.
Sponsors: Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
Target Audience
Population: Households with children eligible for free or reduced price lunch globally
Estimated Size: 4000000
- The bill targets households with children who qualify for free and reduced price school lunch programs, indicating a focus on low-income families.
- It aims to provide support for high-speed internet service in public housing, thus targeting families living in public housing.
- The bill focuses on addressing the digital divide, meaning it impacts families who currently lack adequate internet access at home.
- This group includes diverse populations across urban and rural areas where public housing or low-income housing assistance programs are available.
Reasoning
- The policy is aimed at low-income families with children who qualify for free or reduced price lunch, which is about 20 million students in the US.
- The budget would serve a significant portion of these students, considering the policy's focus on public housing and internet access.
- We selected a diverse sample covering urban, suburban, and rural settings to explore different perspectives on the need for internet access.
- Not all eligible families may choose to take advantage of the program, possibly due to awareness, existing access, or other factors, thus the impact varies.
Simulated Interviews
cashier (urban New York, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having reliable internet access would help my kids a lot with their homework.
- I have to work extra shifts sometimes and can't always take them to the library for internet.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
construction worker (suburban Atlanta, GA)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If the internet bill is covered, that would free up some money for other necessities.
- It's exhausting managing work and trying to find free WiFi spots for the kids' schoolwork.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
stay-at-home parent (rural Alabama)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We've been considering getting internet but the cost is high compared to other bills.
- It's frustrating watching my kid struggle to complete assignments only on a phone.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
part-time retail worker (urban Chicago, IL)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Getting internet would greatly help with educational tools available online for my child.
- Managing work and my kid's education without reliable internet is a challenge.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
unemployed (urban Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This would be a life changer. My son needs online resources for his special education needs.
- I have been struggling to keep them all online for their classes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
taxi driver (suburban Houston, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We already budget for internet so this policy might not impact us directly.
- I'm all for it though, because I know families who would really benefit.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
substitute teacher (rural Kentucky)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy comes as a relief. Internet here is costly and quality often poor.
- Watching my child struggle with digital homework without it was hard.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
security guard (urban Miami, FL)
Age: 33 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This would help us manage our budget better.
- My kids need constant access for school assignments and their growth.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
retired (suburban Detroit, MI)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm trying my best to provide for my grandkids; this could help them more than me.
- They need internet for school and to keep up digitally.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
fast food worker (rural Mississippi)
Age: 29 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- High-speed internet would boost our child's educational opportunities significantly.
- This policy could actually keep us caught up on other bills.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1440000000 (Low: $1008000000, High: $1944000000)
Year 2: $1440000000 (Low: $1008000000, High: $1944000000)
Year 3: $1440000000 (Low: $1008000000, High: $1944000000)
Year 5: $1440000000 (Low: $1008000000, High: $1944000000)
Year 10: $1440000000 (Low: $1008000000, High: $1944000000)
Year 100: $1440000000 (Low: $1008000000, High: $1944000000)
Key Considerations
- The estimate assumes full participation of eligible households, which might not occur in practice due to varying uptake rates.
- A significant portion of these households might already have some form of internet access through other means, which could reduce cost impacts.
- Estimates assume a consistent cost for internet service, which could vary by region.