by on Unfinished Business: Understanding the Digital Access Divide in American Schools
Key findings from the 2022-23 Speak Up Research Project
In support of the release of the first new National Educational Technology Plan in 7 years, Project Tomorrow, in collaboration with Spectrum Enterprise®, is creating a new series of reports to be released in 2024 that examine each of the three digital divides through the lens of the Speak Up Research findings. As they have for 20 years, the Speak Up Research findings provide a glimpse into the authentic views and values of K-12 students, teachers, administrators, parents, and families about the state of education, and particularly the role of technology within the learning process. Each report in this new series will provide foundational data to support the national emphasis on closing the access, design and use divides in American education, and identify specific areas of “unfinished business” that will help local, state, and national leaders understand the need for urgency and targeted attention on the inequities inherent in the divides.
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In this first report in the special series, we examine the state of the digital access divide in America’s classrooms through the eyes and experiences of K-12 teachers and students. While other reports including from Project Tomorrow document the homework gap realities with home access that persist today, this report focuses on the inequities that still exist regarding access to technology and Internet access in the classroom despite significant investments in digital learning devices, online curriculum and content and Internet connectivity within schools. Where appropriate, we reference longitudinal data from the Speak Up Research dataset from 2003-2023 to provide additional context. School level demographic analysis of the research findings enables greater clarity to understand where gaps and unfinished business still exist relative to technology access.
Using the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan as context, this report addresses the following three topics and questions specifically related to understanding:
- Student access to digital learning devices in the classroom and at home
- Student access to online and digital learning content and tools in the classroom
- Obstacles in school that inhibit access to effective digital learning experiences for students
