The Golden Valley Patch recently reported on Representative Ryan Winkler (DFL), District 44B and his plans for the legislative session. I was delighted to see that broadband topped his list…

First, he said he’s proposing an idea to use state capitol investment funds or bond funds to pay for broadband connection in Minnesota schools.

“There’s still a large number of schools around Minnesota that have no connection to high speed internet,” Winkler said. “So that means they have no connection to online learning or better use of data for figuring out who’s doing well or what methods are working well.”

Winkler said he has asked Governor Mark Dayton to include the bonding request for school broadband in the bonding bill he’ll propose to the legislature.

Dave Peters of MPR’s Ground Level pointed out last week that the recent Minnesota Broadband Advisory Task Force report calls out schools as an area that could use a little broadband attention. Hopefully the report can be a tool for Representative Winkler and that Representative Winkler can be a tool for the Broadband Task Force in a effort to get broadband to schools – and hoepfully beyond.