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Digital Divide

California has long wrestled with a stark split between students and teachers who have access to internet and computers and home and those who don’t. This digital divide has created uneven access to completing homework, researching and applying for colleges or financial aid, and other important opportunities for students. As schools rely more on distance learning, this unequal access to technology threatens to widen gaps in academic achievement, especially among Black, Latino and low-income students in rural areas who are among the least likely in California to have internet subscriptions at home. State and district officials are pushing for a variety of solutions to help close the gap and provide access to the internet for all California students, however there is still a long road ahead.
Distance Learning
August 26, 2020

On or off? California schools weigh webcam concerns during distance learning

Some teachers report less engagement with cameras off, but anxiety, tech glitches and privacy concerns could keep some students from turning them on.

Sydney Johnson
State Education Policy
August 17, 2020

Millions of students — and their teachers — embark on vast experiment with distance learning

Distance learning is not a mode of instruction most parents, students, teachers and administrators would have chosen in the absence of the pandemic.

Louis Freedberg
Digital Divide
August 14, 2020

Pressure is on to close the digital divide under California governor’s executive order

The governor wants to reimagine the state’s Broadband Council and ramp up efforts to connect all students to technology during distance learning.

Sydney Johnson
Distance Learning
August 13, 2020

Oakland Unified opens virtually with thousands of students lacking computers and hotspots

A citywide campaign raised $12.5 million to provide for low income students, but the devices have not yet arrived due to a backlog.

Theresa Harrington
Distance Learning
August 11, 2020

Some California districts, teachers struggle to agree on distance learning

The Legislature set minimum hours but left it to districts and unions to define instruction, engagement and set the length of a school day.

John Fensterwald
Digital Divide
August 5, 2020

California makes internet-enabled tablets available to nearly 1 million students

At least 100,000 tablets with internet included will be ready for districts in time for the new school year, state officials said.

Sydney Johnson
Distance Learning
July 24, 2020

California school districts brace for an online back-to-school season

Many school districts will have to ditch plans for hybrid learning and in-person classes at the start of the school year.

Sydney Johnson
Coronavirus
July 17, 2020

Governor’s order means most California school campuses won’t reopen at the beginning of school year

Campuses in 32 of the state’s 58 counties are unlikely to open for the start of the new school year.

Diana Lambert
Coronavirus
July 10, 2020

Spike in coronavirus cases means some schools won’t open at all this fall

As coronavirus cases spike across California more school districts are making the decision to educate students online next school year.

Diana Lambert, Michael Burke, And Ali Tadayon
Coronavirus
July 2, 2020

Small California school districts face overwhelming challenges to reopen schools

California’s smallest school districts struggle to pay for supplies, staff and technology needed to reopen schools.

Diana Lambert
Digital Divide
June 26, 2020

Long road ahead to close California’s digital divide in education before new school year begins

About 56,700 laptops and 94,000 hotspots have been sent to districts across the state so far.

Sydney Johnson
Distance Learning
June 25, 2020

California schools must provide daily live interaction, access to technology this fall

California lawmakers introduced distance learning provisions around instructional time, attendance and connecting with parents.

Sydney Johnson
Math and Science
June 10, 2020

California science teachers look for new ways to bring hands-on experiments to students

While some families are doing science projects at home, teachers say a lack of supplies makes it difficult to assign hands-on experiments.

Sydney Johnson
Coronavirus
June 5, 2020

Summer school may be another pandemic victim in some districts

Researchers found 61 of 100 districts nationwide plan to offer summer school, but many are not expanding programs or trying new things.

Theresa Harrington
Student voices
June 3, 2020

Student perspectives: the pros and cons of distance learning

Distance learning has challenged students and teachers to create a new learning experience. As students in the West Contra Costa Unified School District in the San Francisco Bay Area describe, they faced challenges around learning and orders to stay at home.

Karina Mascorro, David Sanchez, Valeria Echeverria & Ronishlla Maharaj