Urgent Need for Technology to Support Distance Learning
With the rapid spread of COVID-19, life as we know it has changed. By just how much remains to be seen. Among the many questions in this crisis is how we as a nation will care for and educate our children, 52 million of whom are now out of school. At Chiefs for Change, we are working closely with many of the leaders focused on answering that question. In this new reality, our members tell us that systems must have greater funding and flexibilities from the federal government and millions of dollars in just-in-time philanthropy to protect their school communities and ensure children can continue to learn.
Districts have been working around the clock to facilitate the rapid shift to distance learning. They are identifying, developing, and posting materials in an effort to keep students on track. In District of Columbia Public Schools, for example, students can receive, submit, and get feedback on their assignments online. Chancellor Lewis Ferebee says teachers are also holding remote office hours to connect with students virtually or by phone. Universally across our membership, there is enormous need for computers, tablets, and expanded internet access.
In The School District of Palm Beach County, Florida, Superintendent Donald Fennoy and his team asked families to fill out a survey this week to determine whether they have a computer and a way to get online.
Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) has its answer: In a district where the median household income is $33,000 a year, only half the students own a tablet, laptop, or other device that could be used for a meaningful online learning experience. This is a major concern for IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson, just as it is for Sharon Contreras, who leads Guilford County Schools in North Carolina.
At a press briefing, Contreras said: “This crisis has heightened the issue in that we don’t have technology to ensure that students can extend their learning at home, especially the most vulnerable students, many of whom are grade levels behind. Those students also [often] don’t have internet connectivity.”
It is critical that districts stay connected to students and families during this time — not only for the sake of instructional continuity, but also for community health. Schools are a trusted source of information. Keeping schools in touch with students may help ensure that families — especially those who are most vulnerable — know about and follow evolving public health protocols and receive the timely assistance they need.
Some telecom companies are now offering free broadband and WiFi access to families with school-age children who don’t have internet access, waiving installation fees for new service plans, and opening hotspots for public use — but a much greater expansion of these networks, and many, many more devices are required to meet the need.
Across America, state and local leaders, community partners, and volunteers are rising to the challenge. There are countless stories of people collaborating in new and creative ways — even as they can’t physically come together — to help their friends and neighbors. At Chiefs for Change, we’ve established a COVID-19 relief fund to provide coordinated support where all donations go directly to our members’ systems, with no overhead or administrative fees.
But there are some needs so great that they can only be met by the federal government or philanthropists coming together for the common good. Providing potentially hundreds of thousands of devices, helping to facilitate an enormous expansion of internet access, ensuring districts are able to print bulk materials to fill in any remaining gaps in online access — these are massive, fundamental needs. Without bold and immediate action, students simply will not continue learning and may not have access to vital public health information.
Our nation’s education leaders are barely sleeping as they support their communities in these uncertain times. But they have their wits about them and their message to everyone with resources is clear: Please help.
