Learning at home difficult for kids with no internet access. Olathe offers solution

The Olathe School District is purchasing 1,500 Wi-Fi hotspot devices that families can check out for free if they don’t have internet access at home. Bridging the so-called digital divide, in which some students can easily plug in to internet resources while others cannot, has become even more important during the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Laura Kelly’s school shutdown order forced districts to switch quickly to online learning last spring, and schools have been preparing for all kinds of contingencies before reopening this fall. In general, Johnson County parents can choose a remote-learning option this fall if they deem it unsafe for their children to be around others at school. Schools also have planned for in-person learning and a hybrid system with students alternating between home and school. Much will depend on the prevalence of the virus and government orders related to the pandemic.