Digital Equity in Action—Schools Can Share How They Are Addressing 21st Century Educational Challenge

The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is inviting school districts to share how they are improving digital equity—and providing out-of-school high-speed broadband connectivity to students in their communities. Digital equity is considered a top 21st century educational challenge.

Only 3 percent of teachers in high-poverty schools reveal that their students have the digital tools necessary to complete homework assignments, compared to 52 percent of teachers in more affluent schools. “For students to leave school grounds once the bell rings and not have high-quality connectivity puts them at a learning disadvantage. They are unable to harness the benefits of personalized learning and reach their potential in today’s digitally-based environment,” said Keith Krueger, CEO of CoSN. “The good news is many schools are making big gains to accelerate the connection for students outside of school. We want to showcase those positive efforts and provide pathways for additional communities to follow.” To participate, school districts must complete a short, five-minute survey that asks, How are you collaborating with your community to provide broadband access outside of school for students? Schools that complete the survey will be showcased by CoSN and considered for recognition at a special national event in Washington, DC.