The High Cost of Connectivity Has a Disparate Impact on Public School Students
On November 17, 2023, in recognition of American Education Week, Next Century Cities released their latest report, The High Cost of Connectivity Has a Disparate Impact on Public School Students. The report, authored by NCC’s Program Manager, Stacey Baxter, examines the role the Internet and device access play in today’s public school system.
Students today are online more than ever before. During an average school day, students spend between one to four hours on a digital device — whether they are accessing educational tools or taking assessments — utilizing a digital device has become an essential part of students’ academic success. After school, students are continuing to spend additional time online, as more than 70% of their homework requires access to the Internet. While there are numerous positive effects of students having access to the Internet, it is important to understand that this is coming at a substantial cost to families.
As of 2021, 90% of public schools across the country are one-to-one digital device schools, meaning that upon enrollment, each student is issued an electronic device. Students are expected to bring the device to school each day and home each night to complete homework. If families are unable to maintain a home Internet subscription because of factors such as high cost or a lack of availability, students will be left behind. Beyond home Internet service, the maintenance costs for these school-issued devices are just as impactful on a student’s academic future. If a device is damaged in any way during school, or on the way to or from school, families are expected to pay for the repairs and/or replacement costs. This could range anywhere between $25 and $779, depending on the damage, device, and the school or district policy.
Stacey’s focus stems from her experience working within the public school system as a School Therapist. During her time working with students in a grade school, where the majority of families fell below the poverty line, it was common that students would be without an electronic device for significant periods of time. Unfortunately, students whose families were unable to pay for home Internet or device repair/replacement costs, experienced a learning loss, and were more likely to demonstrate behavioral issues in their classrooms, sometimes leading to disciplinary action.
Students today are more likely to use an electronic device during their school day than paper and pencil. Research has shown that increased access to technology can have a positive impact on student academic performance. However, as most public schools now require students to maintain an electronic device, policymakers must be cognizant of how these policies can negatively affect a student’s academic success.
Read the full report here to see more of Stacey’s research and recommendations for local officials and school districts.
