We’ve all heard of the achievement gap that plagues U.S. schools. Related — and just as significant — is the “homework gap,” in which students lack reliable internet connectivity outside school. This is a major hurdle affecting low-income students in particular, who are four times less likely to have broadband at home than their more affluent peers.
Several efforts are underway to overcome this hurdle. For instance, ConnectHome is working with nonprofits and industry partners to bring broadband access to 275,000 households. But many low-income students don’t go home to the same place every night. They need a solution that moves with them, not a cable that connects to a single dwelling.
To help solve this challenge, the Center for Digital Education — on behalf of Samsung — sought out school districts with innovative programs to bring mobile connectivity to students. For instance, a pilot project at a California school provides all sixth-graders with Samsung tablets and a low-cost data plan sponsored by AT&T. And in Katy, Texas, students can check out a device and a mobile hotspot if they don’t have high-speed internet access at home.
To learn more about these innovative programs that aim to help close the achievement gap, read the white paper below.
Bringing Internet Home – Pervasive Digital Education Requires Pervasive Access from Samsung Business USA
