Homework Gap The homework gap is the gulf that exists between students and families that have access to computers and the internet and those who don’t. It is part of the digital divide and can affect a student’s ability to: Complete homework Be academically successful Build the foundation for a successful career Take advantage of economic opportunities Nationally, according to Pew Research Center, the gap looks like this: 15% of households with school-aged children do not have high-speed internet access at home. 17% of teens say they have trouble completing their homework because of lack of internet access. The numbers are even higher when it comes to minorities and low-income families. One in every four low-income teens do not have access to a laptop or desktop computer at home. The Homework Gap in North Carolina Researchers estimate that as many as half a million North Carolina students do not have the access they need to high-speed internet. Closing the homework gap in North Carolina is a major goal of the Broadband Infrastructure Office. Gathering the Data: Homework Gap Study Accurate state and local level data on the breadth of the homework gap has not been easy to come by. That lack of data made designing and implementing strategies to address the issue difficult. As a result of directives outlined in the 2016 Connecting North Carolina State Broadband Plan, the Broadband Infrastructure Office partnered with the Friday Institute's Research and Evaluation Group at North Carolina State University to conduct a survey to determine the extent of the homework gap in North Carolina and to convene educational technology leaders to brainstorm solutions to eradicate the Homework Gap. The findings were part of a report, the Homework Gap in North Carolina, which equips state and local policymakers, educators and other key stakeholders with information to understand the homework gap and strategies to address it.
Homework Gap The homework gap is the gulf that exists between students and families that have access to computers and the internet and those who don’t. It is part of the digital divide and can affect a student’s ability to: Complete homework Be academically successful Build the foundation for a successful career Take advantage of economic opportunities Nationally, according to Pew Research Center, the gap looks like this: 15% of households with school-aged children do not have high-speed internet access at home. 17% of teens say they have trouble completing their homework because of lack of internet access. The numbers are even higher when it comes to minorities and low-income families. One in every four low-income teens do not have access to a laptop or desktop computer at home. The Homework Gap in North Carolina Researchers estimate that as many as half a million North Carolina students do not have the access they need to high-speed internet. Closing the homework gap in North Carolina is a major goal of the Broadband Infrastructure Office. Gathering the Data: Homework Gap Study Accurate state and local level data on the breadth of the homework gap has not been easy to come by. That lack of data made designing and implementing strategies to address the issue difficult. As a result of directives outlined in the 2016 Connecting North Carolina State Broadband Plan, the Broadband Infrastructure Office partnered with the Friday Institute's Research and Evaluation Group at North Carolina State University to conduct a survey to determine the extent of the homework gap in North Carolina and to convene educational technology leaders to brainstorm solutions to eradicate the Homework Gap. The findings were part of a report, the Homework Gap in North Carolina, which equips state and local policymakers, educators and other key stakeholders with information to understand the homework gap and strategies to address it.
