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The way we serve our neighbors is becoming more and more digital. We are excited with the launch of Jobs.CT.gov. And our BITS team is also proud to support other agencies such as DSS, DMV, and others to ensure anywhere, anytime, access to services that give people choices and increase access. But technology can also become a dividing line between the connected and disconnected.
With a goal of bridging that technology and skills divide, DAS’s Commission for Educational Technology spent most of 2023 developing a federally funded digital equity plan, “Connecticut: Everyone Connected.” More than 7,000 residents responded to surveys and participated in focus groups to help us understand and design goals that address the financial and other barriers to technology access. The DAS digital equity team — Program Manager Lauren Thompson, Research Fellow Sarah Ullom-Minnich, and I — wrote “Everyone Connected” as a blueprint to ensure that residents have the training and support they need for engaging in online health and wellness, learning, State, and workforce development resources.
Thanks to the outreach of Commissioner Gilman, CIO Mark Raymond, and the Commission members, we have received more than 400 comments from members of the public on the draft plan and will be finalizing the document for final approval in March. We expect to receive funding to implement the plan this fall.
“Connecticut: Everyone Connected” has received national attention as well. I was honored to represent our team at the White House earlier this week for the launch of the National Educational Technology Plan (NETP). Senior leaders at the US Department of Education praised Connecticut’s digital equity plan for how it focuses on educational and other outcomes to make sure residents can flourish in today’s society. Connecticut was well represented at the event. Former DAS employee and Connecticut resident Sarah Edson led the NETP development. Sarah now serves as Director of Projects and Initiatives for SETDA, where I have the pleasure of serving on the board of directors.
As welcome as these national accolades are to DAS, we are even more excited to begin the important work of implementing the state digital equity plan. Through the partnerships we have forged with sister agencies and community-based organizations, we look forward to equipping Connecticut’s residents with the resources they need to thrive in today’s digital world.
