article thumbnail

The looming threat that could worsen the digital divide

eSchool News

This funding, which was crucial in bridging the digital divide, now stands at a crossroads, potentially leaving many educational institutions grappling with outdated technology and hindering access to the digital resources necessary for effective learning. Advocacy for the extension or renewal of ECF funding is a critical step.

article thumbnail

How one city closed the digital divide for nearly all its students

The Hechinger Report

Ramos would connect to the library’s Wi-Fi — sometimes on her cellphone, sometimes using her family’s only laptop — to complete assignments and submit essays or tests for her classes at Skyline High School. Ramos’ parents promised to buy her a laptop eventually, but bills mounted and it wasn’t in the family’s budget.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Nearly all American classrooms can now connect to high-speed internet, effectively closing the “connectivity divide”

The Hechinger Report

There is still a digital divide in classrooms based on what technology is being used and how. When EducationSuperHighway launched, the Perry-Lecompton school district, in a rural area outside of Topeka, Kansas, still had laptop carts that teachers had to reserve if they wanted students to use computers in their classrooms.

E-rate 49
article thumbnail

Coronavirus is the practice run for schools. But soon comes climate change

The Hechinger Report

His schools have been scrambling to set up online learning, connect students with virtual counseling and get laptops into the hands of families — steps McKneely says will be invaluable if another hurricane disrupts education. “We The Miami-Dade school district, for example, adopted a plan back in 2012 to close the digital divide.

article thumbnail

State Spotlight: Texas’ Student-Centered Response to COVID-19

ExcelinEd

Last week , Excel in Ed hosted Commissioner Morat h and Jennifer Esterline , founder and director of Educate Texas’ Texas Education Grantmakers Advocacy Consortium , for a deep dive into about the state’s COVID-19 strategy and approach.? ? . Bridging the Digital Divide. Designing New School Models.

article thumbnail

A Tiny Microbe Upends Decades of Learning

The Hechinger Report

But America’s persistent digital divide has greatly hampered efforts toward this goal. At Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Julian Negron, left, and Jerrell Boykin, right, load laptops for distribution to students, on March 30, 2020. Inequity looms large. Related: Teachers need lots of training to do online learning well.

article thumbnail

Counseling kids during the coronavirus: A tough job made even tougher

The Hechinger Report

Just before this crisis began, Arizona was poised to spend millions more on boosting its thin roster of counselors, thanks in part to the advocacy of students like Kumar. The digital divide raised similar concerns: If no phone numbers work for a family, if emails remain unanswered, how can counselors gauge the welfare of a child?

Survey 145