Here are brief comments to the Broadband Opportunity Council submitted by Dan McLaughlin of Cleveland’s Seeds of Literacy.

I want to stress the importance of Broadband accessibility as it relates to educational opportunity for adults without a high school diploma. The GED exam switched to a 100% computer-based format in 2014. Signing up and scheduling the test, as well as paying for the test, must now be done online. Many of the adults who may have the needed academic skills to take and pass the GED exams may lack the broadband access and basic computer skills needed to take and pass the GED exams.

At Seeds of Literacy in Cleveland, Ohio we see a huge number of adults who lack both broadband access and basic computer skills. This serves as one more hurdle or roadblock for our students who are trying to get back on track with their educations.