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Connect All Students: How States and School Districts can Close the Digital Divide

Read the first report Read the second reportRead the third report

Read the fourth report

Closing the K–12 Digital Divide in the Age of Distance Learning

There is a persistent gap between students who have high-speed internet and adequate devices at home and those who do not, a gap that perpetuates educational and economic inequality at a time when accessing the internet at home is as important as having electricity and running water.

To guide policymakers, educators, and the private sector in grappling with distance learning and the digital divide, we partnered with a leading consulting firm to produce one of the most current and detailed analyses of just how big the digital divide is for U.S. students and their teachers and how much it will cost to close it.

Download the full report See infographic

Connect All Students: How States and School Districts Can Close the Digital Divide

This second report, developed in partnership with EducationSuperHighway and Boston Consulting Group, reveals the three key steps that states and school districts can take to close the K–12 digital divide. Solutions in this report are based on evidence from states and school districts across the country that have successfully addressed the divide during the pandemic.

Download the full report

Looking Back, Looking Forward: What It Will Take to Permanently Close the K–12 Digital Divide

This third report, developed in partnership with Boston Consulting Group and Southern Education Foundation, tracks progress made during the pandemic toward closing the digital divide, while also exploring its root causes. While short-term approaches have eased the impact of the divide for some students and educators, 75% of these solutions are set to expire in the next one to three years. This report provides a set of recommendations for policymakers on how to close the digital divide once and for all.

Download the full report

The Common Sense Census Presents: Remote Learning and Digital Equity During the Pandemic

This research brief, presented by the Common Sense Census, tracked how kids age 8 to 18 in the U.S. attended classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, their access to devices and broadband internet while learning from home, and how frequently they experienced technical issues that disrupted their education. The data reveals that the homework gap holds back progress on digital equity by disproportionately impacts kids on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines.

See the full brief

Learn more about our work to close the digital divide and connect all students.

Are you a K–12 educator or parent struggling with distance learning? Help us close the digital divide in your state by sharing your story to see how educators and students in your state are affected by the digital divide.

Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century.

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