Digital Divide

Education news, analysis, and opinion about the inequities in students’ access to technology and their effect
Student at computer from home, doing school work with  wifi connection icon images overlaying image.
Liz Yap/Education Week and E+/Getty.
Ed-Tech Policy Q&A How the FCC Wants to Tackle the 'Homework Gap'
The FCC approved an expansion of the E-rate program to include Wi-Fi hotspots.
Lauraine Langreo, July 15, 2024
4 min read
Group of Students in IT Class
iStock
Privacy & Security A New Digital Divide? Low-Income Students See More Ads in the Tech Their Schools Use
Students from the lowest-income families are the most likely to attend schools that do not systematically vet their education technology.
Arianna Prothero, February 14, 2024
4 min read
A young boy does homework with a tablet at the kitchen table.
Ilona Titova/iStock
Ed-Tech Policy The 'Homework Gap' Is About to Get Worse. What Should Schools Do?
The looming expiration of a federal program has districts worried that many students will not have adequate home internet access.
Lauraine Langreo, February 9, 2024
4 min read
High angle shot of a man assisting his students at computers
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Ed-Tech Policy National Ed-Tech Plan Outlines How Schools Can Tackle 3 Big Digital Inequities
There's great potential for districts to use technology to meet all students' individual learning needs, federal plan suggests.
Alyson Klein, January 22, 2024
3 min read
Photograph of a school bus loading children on a busy road.
Greg Randles/iStock
Ed-Tech Policy FCC: Schools Can Use E-Rate Funds to Cover WiFi on Buses
The change will help students with long commutes to and from school study and complete homework, supporters say.
Alyson Klein, October 19, 2023
2 min read
High school student working on computer at home.
Getty
Classroom Technology Equity Gaps in Parents' Tech Skills Have Mostly Closed. Schools Should Take Notice
Low-income parents from a variety of backgrounds "leveled-up" on their tech skills during the pandemic, new research says.
Alyson Klein, October 6, 2023
3 min read
Photo of African-American boy working on laptop computer at home.
E+ / Getty
Classroom Technology Digital Equity Isn't Just About Devices and Internet Access
A tech leader breaks down the four components of equitable access to digital technology.
Lauraine Langreo, July 24, 2023
3 min read
Photo of girl working at home on laptop.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
IT Infrastructure & Management A Change in Federal Funding May Make the 'Homework Gap' Worse
With the increase in tech use, it’s important that students have sufficient connectivity to access learning materials while at home.
Lauraine Langreo, January 10, 2023
3 min read
Closeup shot of a group of unrecognizable young people holding plants growing out of soil
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion LAUSD Superintendent: These Are Our 4 Priorities Right Now
Is there hope for the future of public education in America? Yes, writes Los Angeles schools chief Alberto M. Carvalho.
Alberto Carvalho, December 9, 2022
5 min read
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Illustration by Chris Whetzel for Education Week
Ed-Tech Policy All That Ed Tech Schools Bought During the Pandemic Won’t Improve Equity. Here's Why
Product design, limited organizational capacity, and the dangers of digital surveillance are all barriers, four experts told Education Week.
Benjamin Herold, November 28, 2022
6 min read
IT Infrastructure & Management Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Bandwidth Needs for Schools?
Answer 7 questions about school bandwidth needs.
November 15, 2022
Photograph of a young girl reading, wearing headphones and working at her desk at home with laptop near by.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Ed-Tech Policy Schools Need More Money for Students' Home Internet, Education Groups Tell Congress
Most K-12 students are back to learning in-person, but the homework gap persists and millions of students could lose their home internet.
Arianna Prothero, October 28, 2022
3 min read
A team of people build a path across the digital divide.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week and iStock/Getty
Ed-Tech Policy Low-Income Families Can Qualify for Free Internet, But Schools Should Explain How
There has been a steep drop in the number of school districts paying for low-income families' internet access.
Arianna Prothero, October 19, 2022
3 min read
View on laptop of a Black male teacher with a young student sitting at a desk.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
Ed-Tech Policy Fewer Districts Are Providing Home Internet Access, But Students Still Need It
The pandemic has led to a boom in technology adoption among teachers and schools that requires high-speed broadband access at home.
Arianna Prothero, September 30, 2022
3 min read