Chicago can defeat the digital divide, help kids succeed in school

One pandemic-era program demonstrated that Chicago can solve big inequities with a spirit of partnership and the right resources. Since launching in June 2020, Chicago Connected, the country’s most comprehensive internet connectivity program for students,  has served nearly one in three CPS students — more than 100,000 students in 60,000 households. In a new report, Kids First Chicago (K1C) found the connectivity gap for school-age children was halved during the first six months of Chicago Connected — from approximately 110,000 disconnected children in 2018 to roughly 55,000 by the end of 2020. Moreover, adults in the program logged nearly 30,000 learning hours using free digital learning resources, and many families received free refurbished computers. Still, over 200,000 Chicago households still do not have high-speed internet. And over 260,000 households, nearly one in four, do not own a laptop or desktop computer. The model of partnership established by Chicago Connected provides a path for the city to eradicate the digital divide and unleash the potential of all residents to thrive.

• First, internet connectivity gaps can be tackled through community-led efforts to sign up families in the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), as well as by expanding internet offerings.
• Second, the lack of devices can be addressed through a public-private partnership to recycle and distribute computers to households in need.
• Finally, the lack of digital skills can be overcome with better marketing of learning resources and stronger alignment between content providers, employers and higher education. 

[Hal Woods is chief of policy and José Daniel Pacas, Ph.D., is chief of data science and research for the nonprofit Kids First Chicago.]