Beyond the devastating impact of disease and death across the globe brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, its harsh light has revealed stark inequities in our schools. In particular, the urgent rush to ensure access to instruction for students through distance learning has made clear that the divide between those with access to technology and the Internet and those without is wide indeed.
As the results of a new national survey published by Education Week show, there are significant gaps in access between students in poor and wealthy schools across the nation. Among the survey’s key findings, in school districts where 25 percent or less of the students are from low-income backgrounds, just one-fifth (21 percent) of school district leaders say that lack of technology access is a major challenge. In comparison, in districts where 75 percent or more of students are low-income, two-thirds (64 percent) of district leaders say this is so.
To address the issue of equity and access to technology amid the COVID-19 crisis, the UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools is joining with The California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) to develop a free online series of webinars to help educators, parents, and others supporting students during the COVID-19 crisis. The series, Equitable Learning from Home, will engage administrators, teachers, parents, and para-educators in conversations about ways to best serve every student during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The need to address the inequities in our system of education has perhaps never been more urgent,” says Pedro A. Noguera, Distinguished Professor of Education at UCLA and Founder of the Center for the Transformation of Schools. “This important new web series can help to provide families and educators with the tools and strategies they need to enhance equity in the virtual learning space.”
which includes 30 live virtual seminars with leading educators and equity advocates, kicks off Monday, April 20, with a session hosted by Professor Noguera titled, “Advocating for Everyone: Helping Educators and Parents Support Children While Learning at Home.”
Additional sessions include topics such as “Assisting Students with Technology Access While They’re Sheltered in Place,” with Barbara Nemko, Superintendent, NAPA County Office of Education; and Judy White, Superintendent, Riverside County Office of Education; and “Communicating the Needs and Experiences of African American Students and Families During COVID-19,” with Professor Shaun R. Harper, Founder and Executive Director, USC Race and Equity Center.
A full list of the Equitable Learning from Home webinar series, as well as information on how to register for the free series can be found at https://caaasa.extendedsession.com/design/.
Equitable Learning from Home is presented by CAAASA and supported by The California Endowment.
Above: Courtesy of California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA)