Connect All Students: Understanding the K–12 Digital Divide
February 19, 2021
The gap between students with high-speed internet and adequate devices at home and those without is perpetuating educational and economic inequality. We explore the scale and scope of the digital divide in the United States, and suggest ways to close it for good.
First report: Closing the K–12 Digital Divide in the Age of Distance Learning
To guide policymakers, educators, and the private sector in grappling with distance learning and the digital divide, we partnered with a leading consulting firm to produce one of the most current and detailed analyses of just how big the digital divide is for U.S. students and their teachers and how much it will cost to close it.
Second report: Connect All Students: How States and School Districts Can Close the Digital Divide
The report, developed in partnership with EducationSuperHighway and Boston Consulting Group, reveals the three key steps that states and school districts can take to close the K–12 digital divide. Solutions in this report are based on evidence from states and school districts across the country that have successfully addressed the divide during the pandemic.
Third report: Looking Back, Looking Forward: What It Will Take to Permanently Close the K–12 Digital Divide
This report, developed in partnership with Boston Consulting Group and Southern Education Foundation, tracks progress made during the pandemic toward closing the digital divide, while also exploring its root causes. While short-term approaches have eased the impact of the divide for some students and educators, 75% of these solutions are set to expire in the next one to three years. This report provides a set of recommendations for policymakers on how to close the digital divide once and for all.
Research Brief: The Common Sense Census Presents: Remote Learning and Digital Equity During the Pandemic
This research brief, presented by the Common Sense Census, tracked how kids age 8 to 18 in the U.S. attended classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, their access to devices and broadband internet while learning from home, and how frequently they experienced technical issues that disrupted their education. The data reveals that despite efforts like the Emergency Connectivity Fund in early 2021, the homework gap still disproportionately impacts kids on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines.