Digital Learning Equity Gaps Returning to Pre-pandemic Levels, New Research Finds
Student engagement decreased significantly in October in more affluent districts, but was only slightly lower in districts where more than 25% of students are eligible for free and reduced-price lunch
RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LearnPlatform, developer of an edtech effectiveness system used states and districts serving more than 4 million students, today published new research on disparities in edtech engagement during the era of COVID-19. It shows that the digital equity learning gap appears to be trending back toward pre-COVID-19 levels after significant widening immediately after school closures in the spring.
According to the data, edtech usage at more affluent districts has decreased as the semester has progressed. But there has been more consistent usage at less affluent districts — those with 25% or more students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch — with only a slight decrease since October.
"It's heartening to learn that districts serving low-income families are improving edtech engagement levels," said Karl Rectanus, CEO and co-founder of LearnPlatform. "But the pre-COVID-19 equity gap was far too high for any of us to be satisfied with that as a baseline."
Published monthly, LearnPlatform's analysis considers usage of more than 8,000 edtech tools used within school districts in 17 states.
Among the most recent findings:
- Edtech usage declined in October — from its peak in September for all of 2020 — in all schools analyzed, regardless of family income.
- Districts serving more affluent families saw a steeper decline in usage throughout October compared to their peer districts.
- Edtech usage declined only slightly in lower-income districts, narrowing an equity gap that was at its widest in April and May, during 2020.
View the updated reports on edtech usage, access and equity during the pandemic here.
About LearnPlatform
LearnPlatform is a comprehensive edtech effectiveness system used by more than 270,000 educators to save time, save money and improve outcomes. The research-driven technology, central office automation and data-rich insights and services equip school districts, states and their partners to organize, streamline and analyze their edtech interventions to ensure learning ecosystems are safe and cost-effective for all students. For more information, visit learnplatform.com.
SOURCE LearnPlatform
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