Connect All Students: How States and School Districts Can Close the Digital Divide

How did stakeholders respond to school closings and the digital divide --  and what lessons can be learned from those efforts to close the digital divide going forward? This report highlights case studies at the state, city, and school district level and concludes that there are three key steps in the still unfinished endeavor of closing the K–12 digital divide during the pandemic.

1. Assess who needs connectivity and devices and where they live.
2. Determine which devices and connectivity options are desirable and available and how to distribute them.
3. Find the money to pay for it all.

Finally, while digital literacy is not a focus of this particular report, we found that another critical component to ensuring high-quality distance learning is a holistic digital inclusion1 approach, including digital literacy, parent and teacher training, and tech support— all of which requires additional planning, staff, and funding.