News Update

Citywide Oakland technology campaign begins distributing devices to students

Although school started remotely in Oakland Unified on Aug. 10, a citywide campaign aimed at closing the digital divide in Oakland did not begin distributing devices to students in the district until Tuesday – six days after students were expected to log into classes. The campaign, called “Oakland Undivided,” expects to distribute 25,000 Chromebooks and about 10,000 WiFi hotspots to K-12 students in both district and charter schools by the end of the month.

Courtesy of Oakland Unified

Oakland Unified students receive free Chromebooks through the Oakland Undivided campaign on Aug. 17, 2020.

The group characterized its distribution of about 300 devices to students at Futures Elementary, Community United Elementary and Coliseum College Prep Academy as a “soft launch,” meaning the bulk of the technology is not expected to be given to students for about two weeks. In the meantime, the district has provided students with  district-owned devices that can be exchanged for permanent computers that students can keep to use each year as they progress through elementary, middle and high school.

The campaign – which is a partnership between the district, city and nonprofit Oakland Public Education Fund – was not able to deliver the devices sooner due to a backlog of orders nationwide, organizers said. The campaign raised $12.5 million last May – including a $10 million contribution from Twitter founder Jack Dorsey – to ensure that students have the technology they need for distance learning.