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“Ninety percent of jobs require digital skills,” said Ji Soo Song, Director of Projects and Initiatives at SETDA. Having access to technology critically affects student academic achievement, career advancement, and pay equity.

During the edLeader Panel “Addressing the Digital Divide: Current State and Guidance for Education Leaders,” experts discussed SETDA’s Universal Connectivity Imperative Report, a comprehensive analysis of the current state of internet access in K–12 education, what efforts have been implemented, and five goals for bridging the divide and fostering digitally savvy students, teachers, and communities.

1. Reliable Access For All Learners

If you look for silver linings, more funding for connectivity emerged as a sterling highlight after the pandemic. While districts and communities made great strides, funding is now sunsetting, and what was cobbled together is less than perfect today.

“We need more consistent funding and a common standard for equitable learning,” said Emily Jordan, Vice President of Foundation and Education Initiatives at Connected Nation. Connection is hindered in two very distinct ways: affordability and availability. Schools need permanent solutions for affordability and sustainability. There also need to be standards for measuring effectiveness and better data collection to determine gaps in usage.

Data is power. “Having connectivity data in the hands of stakeholders and people making decisions about where the needs are is critical,” said Brad Hagg, Director of Educational Technology for the Indiana Department of Education. “We can’t move forward and do it effectively without that,” added Jordan.

2. Current and Compatible Devices For Every Student

While the majority of districts now have a 1:1 ratio of device to student, devices today have a life cycle of three to five years, according to the report. Many of the devices put in place during the pandemic are aging. Schools must maintain functionality and ensure devices stay current to ensure a 1:1 ratio productively benefits students.

3. Digital Skills That Match Career Readiness

Districts can invest in the best learning technologies, but “if you don’t have digital skills to leverage, then it’s money wasted,” said Delia DeCourcy, Senior Education Strategist at Lenovo. Digital skills are imperative for learning and working. AI is one clear example. Almost every industry uses AI in some form in the workplace. Teachers use digital assistants and predictive analytics; all these tools underscore that teachers and students need to possess AI literacy and learn it rapidly.

One way to combat this is to provide sustained, ongoing professional development for educators. Typical professional development for educators is a 30-minute block before school starts or a designated time after the school day ends, predominantly lecture based. “We know from research how humans learn, that’s not effective. We don’t do that to our students; why do we do that to our teachers?” said Song.

Additional recommendations include working with state and local leaders for edtech planning, preparing students, and extending skill development to caregivers at home and in the community.

4. Keeping Student Information Secure

“We have to keep the kids’ data safe,” said Hagg. With so many hyperaware of the risks and challenges, leaders crave smart ways to keep data confidential and provide students access to learning wherever needed. Hagg explained that districts have had great success building robust systems for housing all data and leaning on public and private collaboration. “Both of those are critical, and if you can do both together, big things happen,” he said. “You’re never going to have enough money, so you have to prioritize.” Leaders can keep pace by looking for employees with cybersecurity skills and leaning on experienced partners.

5. Ensure Digital Learning Is Accessible

When we think about how districts and schools procure edtech tools, “it’s typically on popularity, which is the largest, or what others are doing. It doesn’t necessarily account for all learners,” said Song. Going forward, students need digital tools and platforms that recognize and are responsive to variability in learning. It helps historically marginalized populations access more educational and career opportunities. Leaders can lean on SETDA’s five edtech quality indicators to better assess which edtech tools are most effective.

Learn more about this edWeb broadcast, Addressing the Digital Divide: Current State and Guidance for Education Leaders, sponsored by Lenovo, in association with Google for Education.

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Lenovo empowers education organizations by providing innovative technology solutions that enhance learning and embrace digital transformation with ease. Whether it’s equipping students with reliable devices, providing instructors with access to AI-driven tools, or easing the burdens of administrators and IT teams with top-of-the-line security and management solutions, we are committed to shaping the future of education—one device, one classroom, and one student at a time.

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Article by Suzanne Bell, based on this edLeader Panel