Digital Skills, Workforce Development Takes Center Stage at BEAD Listening Session
The second round of public comments included support for removing ed-tech from K-12 schools
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2026 – Organizations from across the country came out in force to argue for digital literacy and workforce development programs during the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s second BEAD program listening session on Wednesday.
Many of these organizations noted that they provided input on the development of the $42.45 billion BEAD law as it was being written in 2001 and encouraged NTIA to allow for flexibility for states on how the remaining $21 billion in non-deployment funds were used to address local specific local needs.
“NTIA’s mission is to ensure broadband remains an engine for innovation and economic growth, and that growth does not depend on infrastructure alone. It depends on whether people can actually use it” said Kathy Bizby, Director of the Alliance for Digital Equity, a coalition serving more than 70 organizations in western Massachusetts.
Bizby said that her organization participated in the development of the BEAD program. She said she hopes NTIA will release non-deployment funds in full to states and to used “as intended” under the BEAD law passed by congress during the Biden Administration.
Dr. Lindsey Thurgood, a representative of Utah's Digital Opportunity network, a coalition of community members, digital inclusion advocates, and local government officials, followed by promoting device affordability, noting that access to basic items like laptops increases an adult's average income by “$15,000 to 18,000 a year”.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, allocated $42.45 billion for broadband deployment. Since the Trump Administration took office, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik implemented the so-called “Benefit of the Bargain" reforms, which canceled previously approved state BEAD proposals to pursue cost saving measures, netting $21 billion in savings..
At a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies hearing on Feb. 10, Lutnik confirmed that no decision has been reached on how this pool of funds would be distributed, but assured that it would still be spent and not given back to the U.S. Treasury.
Wednesday’s listening session was the second public comment session on how best to spend these funds. Two previous listening sessions occurred last week, including a non-public session with states & territories, last Tuesday.
Worker Shortage
Several organizations that represent contractor companies also argued for increased workforce development to deploy broadband. Todd Myers, owner of Ken Meyers Construction in Ohio, noted that there was a severe shortage of workers skilled enough to lay broadband in the ground, and maintain it for years to come.
“The BEAD buildout will be constrained by the construction industry's broadband skilled worker labor shortage, estimated to top 349,000 workers in 2026,” Meyers said.
Meyers noted that more could be done by stakeholders, and utilizing the BEAD funds to hire and train workers would be a good step to ensuring BEAD deployment occurs quickly.
Attacks on EdTech
Several doctors and education professionals also voiced concern about educational technology deployment, arguing that his technology is yielding diminishing literacy skills for K-12 students.
Andrew Liddell, founder of EdTech Law Center, a consumer protection firm, suggested using funds to purchase printers. Liddell noted that high printing costs typically steer schools into EdTech products in the first place.
Liddell noted that computer labs could be a good middle ground by allowing students to work in a more controlled environment to develop digital skills
Dr. Jered Horvath, a teacher and neuroscientist, suggested it may be better to use the funds to divest from EdTech altogether
“Data shows that the more we offer computers to kids, public education gets worse,” Horvath said. “ So, some of that money could be spent towards helping move digital curricula into analog formats”
Member discussion