DIGITAL DIVIDE
In California, hundreds of thousands of computers and hot spots have been secured for schools, and districts have spent more than $2 billion in federal stimulus funding on technology. But in 2020, almost one-fifth of California’s students could not participate in remote learning due to lack of rural and frontier infrastructure or lack
25% of African American students and their families do not have access to the internet and 13% do not have access to computers.
BroadbandNow’s best and worst states for internet coverage, speed and price access: of urban affordability.
The digital divide impacts students of color and low-income students at disproportionate rates. The rate of students without a computing device is lower than those without internet access, nationwide figures show:
21% of Hispanic or Latino students do not have access to the internet and 9% do not have access to computers.
In July 2015, the percentage of U.S. adults who say they have a broadband connection at home was 66%. In February 2020, it was 77%.
Top 10
New Jersey New York Maryland Rhode Island Florida
30% of American Indian students do not have access to the internet and 16% do not have access to computers.
Illinois
District of Columbia Texas Massachusetts Connecticut
In December, the Los Angeles Unified School District reported it had distributed about 400,000 devices and all students had computers and internet. However, according to a survey by the University of Southern California and Educators for Excellence that month, more than half of Los Angeles teachers reported students’ lack of high-speed internet was a serious obstacle to their learning.
Bottom 10
14% of White students do not have access to the internet and 7% do not have access to computers.
Vermont Nebraska New Mexico Montana Alaska
Smartphones only
Percentage of U.S. adults who say they have a smartphone but no broadband at home, by household income.
30% 20% 10%
The percentage of lower incomes has doubled since 2013.