Every weekday at 2pm, Governor Walz gives a coronavirus update. Fri

day (April 24) there was a heavy focus on remote education. We heard from teachers, students and policymakers. Everyone admitted that remote education is not the same as education in real life. But the students praised their teachers and seemed to be making the best of it. The graduating senior noted that social media is helping to keep a sense of community.

One teacher (who is also a parent) painted a vivid picture of what it’s like to not have adequate broadband. And if you have trouble sleeping in the midst of a pandemic – just imagine what it’s like for this teacher from Spring Valley MN who wakes up at 1am to get her work done. Then wakes up a third grader at 5am to get her work done because at 7am the broadband is rendered useless:

MN Education Commissioner Mary Ricker talks about the  resources they have set up to help teachers home skills to teach online and remotely, the partnerships they are setting up to expand affordable broadband – and talks about how access to broadband is a top priority for federal funding and how local (MN) legislators are working on increased funding for better broadband now…