Studies have shown that the digital divide affects students' educational achievement across racial and ethnic groups. In light of this, the study investigates the effect of technology access at home on student learning hours during the COVID-19 pandemic and across racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. The Household Pulse Surveys (HPS), conducted by…

This dissertation investigates the impact of limited technology access, the quality of remote learning experiences, and racial disparities on SAT math scores among 11th-grade students. The study spans two academic years, 2018/2019 and 2022/2023, offering a longitudinal perspective on the trends in math scores. The research employs a quantitative…

School finance inequities are a key driver of disparities in educational outcomes. Higher per-pupil funding levels allow schools to provide more qualified educators, smaller class sizes, and high-quality physical resources such as modern instructional technology. We study how Washington state school districts generate and allocate funding for…

For many Americans across racial groups, income tiers, and geographic regions, differences in access to internet connectivity and technology resources -- also known as the "digital divide" -- remains a critical barrier for many students and families, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenges with digital access has translated…

This document contains the technical appendices for the report "Achieving Digital Equity for California's Students." Appendices include: (1) Census Household Pulse Survey; and (2) Additional Figures. [For the full report, see ED617930. For the Policy Brief, see ED617933.]

Objective: School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic left millions of pupils to continue their education at home. We investigated gender and socioeconomic inequalities in pupils' home learning, and some mechanisms underlying those inequalities. Method: We analysed online survey responses from 3,167 parents collected between May and July 2020 in…

As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, digital connectivity is critical to student learning. Gaps in digital access--including reliable access to internet and a digital device--are a driving force in the educational inequities evident during distance learning. In this report, the authors use data on a sample of California households with children…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Bridging the Digital Divide." Contents include: (1) Texas High School Attrition…

The data on COVID-19 show an irrefutable and disturbing pattern: Black Americans are contracting and dying from COVID-19 at rates that far exceed other racial and ethnic groups. Due to historical and current iterations of racism, Black Americans have been forced into conditions that elevate their risk for COVID-19 and consequently place Black…

The purpose of this study was to examine educators' perceptions of their preparation and expectations for teaching and learning during the COVID-19 school closures through the lens of context-responsive leadership theory. School enrollment, educational attainment, poverty, and race were the county-level external school contexts we studied. The…

We use data collected between April 2020 and March 2021 from the Understanding America Survey, a nationally representative internet panel of approximately 1,450 households with school-age children, to document the access of American households to K-12 education during the COVID-19 crisis. We also explore disparities by parent race/ethnicity,…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a near-total shutdown of the U.S. school system, forcing more than 55 million students to transition to home-based remote learning practically overnight. In most cases, that meant logging in to online classes and accessing lessons and assignments through a home internet connection. Sadly, that was not an option for…

The resurgence of COVID-19 over the summer and the predicted fall increase in cases means that many districts will continue some form of distance learning for months to come. To help districts refine remote instruction, the authors explore key issues California families experienced around distance learning this spring. Using data from the Census…

The coronavirus pandemic fundamentally altered education and schooling in the Houston area. To better understand the impact of COVID-19 on Houston area families and communities, the Houston Education Research Consortium collaborated with Connective (previously, Harvey Home Connect) to launch the Gulf Coast Coronavirus (COVID-19) Community Impact…

In the fall and winter of 2020, New America embarked on a snapshot study to gather data on how--or if--people were discovering, accessing, and using their public libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on materials that libraries made available online. Our findings, which include data from a national survey of 2,620 people, highlight…