Educators universally agree that equity should be one of the top priorities in every school and in every district across the country.
Addressing equity issues is more difficult for some districts than others due to factors such as funding, parental involvement, and policy.
According to new Speak Up data from Project Tomorrow, 43 percent of school site administrators say implementing digital content is an effective tool for ensuring equity across classrooms, throughout the school, and within their district. A majority of school principals say instruction in their classrooms regularly includes digital games, online textbooks, and online videos, animations and simulations.
The data is pulled from principals who implemented at 1:1 program where students are assigned a device, and principals with those programs are more likely than other principals to report that technology use is effective in core academic subjects.
Giving students a device is one step in the fight to close equity gaps–students may not have internet access at home, but at least in school, they’re closing the access gap and are able to learn to use the digital tools and build the digital skills they’ll need for success.
Here are 10 examples of equity resources and efforts to address equity in action:
1. CoSN CEO Keith Krueger explains why digital equity is still a troubling issue with far-reaching consequences, despite progress around the E-rate modernization. Digital equity is, in fact, a civil rights issue.
2. Providing students with tech is a start, but to close the opportunity gap, districts must do more. Here’s what one Texas district is doing to address equity issues.
3. A Digital Equity Action Toolkit helps education leaders improve digital equity in their schools by outlining thoughtful and measured strategies.
4. Many stakeholders say digital equity is about more than access to devices and strong internet connections–it’s about social justice and fair opportunity.
5. Educational leaders need to be connected with their teachers, students, parents, and community leaders for digital success. Equity issues in urban areas are often complicated.
6. Find out how a school district in Minnesota made a 1:1 program a priority, despite numerous challenges.
7. The digital divide proves tougher for students with fewer electronic devices at home. Here’s what data says about home access gaps.
8. The school year is young, but summer break will come sooner than many realize. Here are three tips to connect students to digital resources during summer break.
9. More districts are turning to school bus wi-fi as a viable solution to increase students’ internet access. Here are 6 ways wi-fi on buses could benefit your district.
10. Although most children in families earning below the median U.S. household income have internet access and devices that connect to it, they struggle with being “under-connected.”
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