Dive Brief:

• Sprint has jumped into the race to close the homework gap by providing 1 million students mobile devices and internet hotspots they can use at home, even if they don’t have internet access otherwise.
• Reuters reports the commitment comes as part of the White House’s ConnectEd program, and Sprint plans to distribute cell phones, tablets, laptops or mobile hotspots to 1 million children within five years and offer four years of free data plans to go along with them.
• The devices themselves are being passed along from manufacturers that have agreed to provide them for free, or from customers donating their old ones upon upgrading, and Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure says it won’t cost much for the company to offer use of its network for free.

Dive Insight:

As more schools bring high-speed internet to students in their classrooms, they are recognizing the limitations of the digital divide in their students’ homes. While some have easy access to internet and their own devices at home, too many do not. Schools have pushed forward with 1:1 device programs, adding hotspots to laptops or Chromebooks for students who need them. Others have expanded their wireless networks to bus fleets or even throughout their entire district boundaries.

At the minimum, schools should be helping students find free Wi-Fi in their communities. Many educators start their years providing lists of where students can do homework online, whether it is a local library, coffee shop or restaurant. Schools are also keeping their doors open later to give students a chance to do homework before going home. Administrators considering new tech initiatives should always think about the home lives of students and where new technology will hit its limits without additional supports.