Closing the Digital Divide to Make Education Equitable

As schools and districts prepare for the return to class this fall, we want to set our teachers and students up for a successful academic year. Yet in our rapidly evolving technology age, widespread access to that technology is a critical ingredient in that success. And while we’ve made some progress in this area, it’s nowhere near what is required. In fact, just this week, a federal appeals court ruled that the funding mechanism for the Universal Service Fund, which funds the critical E-Rate program supporting K-12 connectivity, is unconstitutional. The ruling could leave more than $2 billion in internet connectivity aid unavailable. 

The digital divide – that gap between those with access to technology and those without – has cast a long and wide shadow over our education system. What was once a reference to cell phone access exclusively has morphed into a multi-pronged challenge that encompasses internet access, device access, and even gaps in digital literacy. It impacts everything from student achievement to teacher effectiveness to parental and community support. While this divide wasn’t caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was certainly exacerbated by it. Millions of students and teachers were forced to turn to remote teaching and learning at a moment’s notice, already without the tools and connectivity to succeed. To make matters worse, this digital divide  disproportionately affects those communities most traditionally underrepresented and underserved—Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous educators and students, as well those in poor urban and rural areas. 

Based on available research like this study from the Urban Institute conducted prior to the pandemic, a powerful correlation exists between technology access and learner outcomes. So it seems incomprehensible (to me at least) why the richest nation on the planet wouldn’t do everything in its power to give every educator and student the technology tools they need to succeed. It’s obvious from what we already experienced prior to and during the pandemic that we need a comprehensive, intentional national strategy to alleviate this crisis (yes, this IS a crisis) for the benefit of ALL educators and learners. Here’s how we can do it:

1. Expand Broadband Access

First and foremost, expanding broadband access to our most underserved communities should be prioritized at the federal, state, and local levels. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act  (IIJA) represented a significant step forward in this area, allocating about $65 billion in the form of several initiatives like the Affordable Connectivity Program, or ACP. The ACP was a $14.2 billion pandemic-era program to expand high-speed internet to rural, urban, and tribal areas in the form of household internet discounts. I say “was” because, unfortunately, the ACP ended in June of this year due to Congress’ inability to appropriate additional funding. Also born from the IIJA was the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP), which constituted a $1 billion  investment in Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities for the deployment of Internet infrastructure on Tribal Lands.

It’s unlikely that we’ll see the levels of direct-to-family congressionally-approved funding for broadband that we saw in the COVID-19 era. Absent similar funding, here are a few ways the gap can be further addressed:

• Improve data collection on broadband availability, adoption, and affordability so we know with certainty where to focus our efforts.
• Provider-based subsidies that would incentivize internet service providers to expand their service infrastructure and/or offer lower-cost service in areas in the most need.
• A renewed focus on competition and consumer protection, reducing costs.

2. Provide Affordable, Current Devices

Second, providing affordable devices that aren’t years past their prime to students and teachers is paramount. We often think about internet connectivity when we discuss the digital divide, but we forget that you need a quality device to do homework, create lesson plans, etc. While a lot of progress to ensure students have access to devices has been made, schools and districts must work collaboratively to do more. Of course, the transition to digital brings with it additional privacy and security concerns. This requires additional investment in digital literacy and IT security, especially if devices aren’t new or near new. Many nonprofits have also joined in this effort to provide devices, especially for those students most disadvantaged and underserved.

3. Prioritize Digital Literacy

We can’t achieve digital equity without robust digital literacy. Students, teachers, and parents alike require this critical 21st century skill to navigate the digital world effectively. This means integrating digital literacy into the core curriculum from an early age. It also means investing in professional development opportunities for educators to help them leverage technology to enhance instruction and serve all learners effectively.

4. Invest in Public-Private Partnerships

Additionally, we should be taking advantage of public-private partnerships. Collaboration between schools, technology companies, and nonprofits can lead to innovation and real-world solutions to real-world problems. As mentioned earlier, some companies offer low-cost internet plans to eligible households (and can do more), and nonprofits offer low-cost or free digital literacy training and resources, as well as device donations.

One great example of this model is the Philadelphia School District partnering with Comcast as part of the PHLConnectED program (beginning in 2020) to expand broadband access and digital literacy within the district. Since that program began, the district has seen measurable improvement in student performance on standardized tests in subject areas like math and science, subjects traditionally dependent on digital skills and literacy. Like-minded programs in cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles have resulted in similar improvements in closing these gaps.

Moving Forward

Closing the digital divide in education is not simply about providing devices and connectivity; it’s more about creating opportunities for those who have traditionally been left behind. Much progress has been made, but as technology continues to advance at breakneck speeds, we must be prepared to accelerate our plans to ensure wider access to that technology. By working together to ensure that ALL students and educators have access to the tools and skills they need to be successful in our more globalized world, we can create a more inclusive education system that serves the diverse needs of our country.

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Howie Berman, MA, CAE is a principal and co-founder of Learning Curve Partners, an independent consulting group which connects and empowers educators and education organizations to be leaders and lifelong learners in pursuit of their missions. Learn more at learningcurvepartners.com and follow this blog for more thoughts on the education space.