This past summer, Maine received $272 million to expand affordable, high-speed internet across the state through the bipartisan Digital Equity Act. This legislation, passed in November 2021, provided $2.75 billion to help states close the digital divide among those with access to broadband internet and those who do not. The Digital Equity Act website states: “Too many communities lack access to high-speed internet. Many more can’t afford it or don’t know how to use it. The divide between those who have internet access and those who don’t is stark. To create an equitable economy, we all need access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet.”

Maine was awarded more than any other New England state based on need. It is the largest of the six New England states. Its square mileage is almost as much as all five of the other New England states combined. It is also the most rural New England state with the lowest percentage of people with access to high-speed internet. Maine has developed one of the region’s most comprehensive plans for providing affordable, high-speed internet access and ensuring that consumers will be able to use their computers, tablets and phones to make the most of online tools and resources.

When it comes to technology and learning, Maine has a long history of living up to its motto, “Dirigo,” which means “I lead.” Way back in 2001, our governor (now senator), Angus King, realized that in order to compete economically, Maine, a relatively small state with fewer resources than many others, would need to do something very different if we were going to compete in the new millennium. He concluded that education and access to information via technology were the keys for the success of Maine’s future generations. Gov. King proposed a bold and broad idea of providing every student in Maine with a personal, digital-learning device, or laptop, and access to the internet. After a very wide range of spirited reactions, a bipartisan task force was formed to study his proposal for a year. They unanimously recommended the creation of the MLTI, or Maine Learning Technology Initiative. A cornerstone of MLTI back then is echoed in the current legislation: equity. Gov. King often made the point that it shouldn’t matter what a Maine student’s zip code is. They should all have access to the same information and tools no matter where they lived or attended school.

The L in MLTI stands for learning; Maine has been a leader in connecting learning with technology. From the very beginning, funding for the MLTI included strategies for teaching and learning with technology. Gov. King’s administration, including the Maine Department of Education, knew that simply giving computers and the internet to teachers and students without providing resources for learning how to use them effectively would be a waste of time, money and resources. This was a major consideration in choosing Apple and Apple Education as the initial provider for MLTI. It was the only company to build in the resources needed to support educators and students in learning how to teach and learn with the new digital tools. Fast forward 20 years, and we see that the national Digital Equity Act requires communities to develop plans that “aim to ensure that all people and communities have the skills, technology and capacity needed to reap the full benefits of our digital economy.”

So, stay tuned! There are community-based groups working on expanding choices for affordable, high-speed internet, helping citizens to choose and obtain digital devices, and learning how to use them to enhance their everyday lives. For more information, go to the Maine Connectivity Authority’s website at maineconnectivity.org/digital-equity.

As Maine public school educators back in 2001, we here at BoomerTECH Adventures were among the early supporters of Gov. King’s first-in-the-world idea. Although we are no longer in Maine’s classrooms, we find ourselves still actively engaged in doing what we can to help people use their digital devices to connect with whatever internet is available and to make the most of what they discover online.

BoomerTECH Adventures (boomertechadventures.com) provides expert guidance and resources to help Boomers and older adults develop competence and confidence using their Apple devices. Boomers themselves, BoomerTECH Adventures rely on their skills as educators to create experiences that meet individual needs through videos, Zoom presentations, tech tips and timely blog posts.

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