Digital Divide
Education news, analysis, and opinion about the inequities in students’ access to technology and their effect
Federal
Making Sure Every Child Has Home Internet Access: 8 Steps to Get There
Involving the postal service, getting schools to help pay, and setting up statewide public networks could be part of the mix.
IT Infrastructure & Management
Reported Essay
Internet Access Is a Civil Rights Issue
In the world’s wealthiest country, why is broadband access denied to so many and in such high numbers? Mark Lieberman investigates.
Families & the Community
Fighting for Fairness Amid a Pandemic
COVID-19 didn’t create racial and economic inequities among students, but it deepened them. Schools can ameliorate the damage.
Equity & Diversity
Laptop Delays, Zoom Glitches, Equity Gaps: Remote Learning Faces Big Challenges
Schools are facing complex and oftentimes unpredictable technological challenges as many start the academic year with full-time remote learning.
IT Infrastructure & Management
How to Address Big Tech Equity Challenges
School districts are facing huge tech equity issues this school year, especially if schools return to full-time remote learning. Here’s how they are addressing those challenges.
Classroom Technology
Knowing How Students and Teachers Use Tech Is Vital
Data on the usage of educational technology tools can provide districts with a helpful road map for improving student engagement under remote, in-person, or hybrid learning conditions. See how school districts are using such data to make smart, strategic decisions.
Classroom Technology
Explainer
COVID-19 & Remote Learning: How to Make It Work
Read our tips, checklists, best practices, and expert advice on how to make teaching and learning at home engaging, productive, and equitable.
Ed-Tech Policy
1 in 3 American Indian, Black, and Latino Children Fall Into Digital Divide, Study Says
Nearly 17 million children lack high-speed internet at home that's considered crucial to their ability to participate in remote learning during the pandemic, according to a new study.
Classroom Technology
A Third of K-12 Students Aren't Adequately Connected for Remote Learning, Report Says
Between 15 and 16 million students and more than 300,000 teachers live in a household that lacks either Internet access, a digital device, or both, the report says.
Teaching
Video
Justin Minkel on Teaching Vulnerable Populations During the Pandemic
Justin Minkel, an Arkansas teacher, discusses his concerns for the vulnerable population he teaches and what he’s preparing for come fall.
Classroom Technology
What to Do for Families With Internet Access Too Slow for Remote Learning
The urgency to resolve these issues is high as many schools appear likely to continue remote learning for at least some students next school year.
Equity & Diversity
College Board Reverses Course, Scraps Online Option for SAT Exams
The College Board will not offer an at-home, digital version of its SAT college entrance exam this fall, reversing an earlier plan after critics raised concerns about internet access.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Hurricanes, Earthquakes, and COVID-19 Make a Dire Trio for Puerto Rico's Schools
The pandemic is just the latest massive disruption for the U.S. territory's educational system, and has left students and teachers wondering how much they've lost and what comes next.
Equity & Diversity
Why Helping Families Access the Internet Is So Challenging
Internet access remains out of reach for millions of homes across America, but federal officials don't agree on the scale of the problem.