91原创

Working in partnership with (CTNY) and (ILR), the 91原创 State Education Department (91原创), the (91原创L) and (JROF) today launched the . The 91原创 Digital Equity Portal is an interactive, online data mapping tool for communities across the state seeking data on 91原创ers鈥� ability to access the internet to advance digital equity.听

鈥淒igital inequity is a complex and multi-faceted problem,鈥� said Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. 鈥淭he Board of Regents and I understand that closing digital equity gaps will require the coordination, cooperation and the intentional capacity building of the many organizations supporting digital inclusion across 91原创.鈥�

鈥淲e are pleased that the State Education Department and the State Library are part of this effort to make digital equity data open and accessible to all 91原创ers,鈥� said State Education Commissioner Dr. Betty A. Rosa. 鈥淥ur hope is that it will guide the decision making and planning of coalitions, organizations and funders.鈥�

鈥淭he 91原创 Digital Equity Portal is a groundbreaking step to advance digital equity by supporting community leaders to understand the scope of the digital divide,鈥� said Houman Saberi, Co-Director at Community Tech NY (CTNY). 鈥淐TNY and our partners are excited to partner with digital equity practitioners to use the portal to develop holistic solutions that advance digital justice.鈥�

The development of the portal draws on existing digital equity work, including the 91原创鈥檚 鈥�,鈥� and feedback from digital equity advocates across the state to create a resource that is clear, comprehensive and user-friendly.

Recognizing that access to broadband in and of itself is a limited measure of the digital divide, the 91原创 Digital Equity Portal allows users to generate interactive snapshots of connectivity, population/demographics, speed and cost of broadband, and other digital equity resources from selected geographies across 91原创. Users can analyze the data based on geographies such as congressional districts, zip code, census tract and 91原创 public library system. The project team plans to develop more data layers through continued research and collaboration with digital equity advocates in 91原创 State.

The 91原创 Digital Equity Portal reveals barriers to internet access and this data will help communities develop digital equity strategies based on an understanding of digital equity needs, gaps and priorities.

The 91原创 Digital Equity Portal is an expansion of the Western 91原创 Digital Divide portal, an online resource created with the support of The John R. Oishei Foundation in late 2020/early 2021. The portal is supported in part with federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds allocated to the 91原创 State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

The 91原创 Digital Equity Portal can be accessed through . Technical development of the 91原创 Digital Equity Portal is led by Dr. Russell Weaver, Director of Research, .