New Discovery Education and Comcast Study Highlights Opportunity for United States Schools to Help Students Overcome Digital Divide
October 04 2023 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
New tool released for school administrators to
determine eligibility and advance enrollment in the federal
government’s Affordable Connectivity Program
Today, Discovery Education, worldwide edtech leader, and Comcast
released a new study showing that U.S. schools are well-positioned
to help families get online with low-cost, high-speed Internet
options through the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity
Program (ACP). However, the study also found that educators lack
centralized resources and direct support necessary to successfully
overcome barriers to the digital divide. Released to help support
this year’s Digital Inclusion Week theme of “Building Connected
Communities,” key findings include:
This press release features multimedia. View
the full release here:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231003999991/en/
New Discovery Education and Comcast Study
Highlights Opportunity for United States Schools to Help Students
Overcome Digital Divide (Photo: Business Wire)
- Nearly all educators surveyed feel strongly that digital
equity is more important today than ever before.
- 82% of families and 80% of educators surveyed feel strongly
that high-speed Internet at home is extremely important to
fulfilling learning outcomes.
- While two-thirds of families and educators acknowledge their
school’s interest in closing the digital divide, only one-third are
aware of actionable measures being taken by the school
district.
- Only 39% of parents were aware of the ACP, and of those that
were aware, just 13% of parents have signed up. What’s more, only
22% of educators surveyed strongly agree that administrators in
their school districts are equipped with the necessary information
to communicate options for high-speed internet access at home.
- Data shows multiple disconnects between what parents pointed
to as actual barriers to broadband adoption versus what teachers
perceived as parents’ barriers to adoption. Addressing these will
be critical to ensuring that school districts and digital navigator
programs are effective in closing the digital divide for
students.
- There was a 52-percentage-point difference between the share of
teachers who thought that cost of service was the primary barrier
to adoption for families versus the actual share of parents who
pointed to cost as a barrier.
- Significantly larger shares of teachers thought that families
did not live in buildings that were wired for broadband, did not
know how to set up the Internet, and did not have devices than the
share of parents who raised these barriers.
- Findings from the study also support a recommendation for
school systems to partner with proven and trusted programs such as
those that include support from Digital Navigators — to help
streamline communication, advocacy, and adoption strategies that
lead to equitable opportunities for all students. Ensuring all
ACP-eligible families are signed up is equally important in
supporting district connectivity goals.
To help further address these issues, Comcast is helping school
administrators more quickly and easily access additional resources
to get more households enrolled in the ACP during the
back-to-school season through the Online For All Back to School
Challenge, led by the U.S. Department of Education and Civic
Nation.
A new online tool from Comcast is designed to help
administrators quickly and easily assess ACP eligibility in their
school districts. They can also learn about which schools have the
lowest broadband adoption rates in their area. This valuable data
will enable school leaders to better tailor communications around
the ACP and direct families to resources that can assist in
supporting Internet adoption.
“Ensuring every student in America has access to reliable,
high-speed Internet in the classroom and at home is a top priority
for Comcast’s Project UP. The combination of historic investments
in universal broadband, public-private collaboration, and private
industry support will together ensure that neither availability nor
affordability stand in the way of achieving connectivity for
everyone,” said Broderick Johnson, EVP of Public Policy and EVP
of Digital Equity, Comcast Corporation.
“At Discovery Education, we are on a mission to prepare learners
for tomorrow by creating innovative classrooms connected to today’s
world. Today, no matter where learning takes place, access to and
adoption of high-speed Internet is an essential ingredient for
student success. As Comcast's education partner in this work, we’re
proud to support efforts to ensure students and families have the
tools necessary to meet the demands of the modern learning
environment,” said Amy Nakamoto, EVP of Social Impact, Discovery
Education.
“Today, 17 million unconnected households are eligible for
low-cost, high-speed Internet under the Affordable Connectivity
Program. Civic Nation is partnering with the U.S. Department of
Education, school districts, and organizations across the country
through Online For All to close this gap and ensure every student
and family has equitable access to learning, both at home and in
the classroom,” said Kyle Lierman, CEO of Civic Nation.
Additional key findings from the study include:
- While educators believe their school district leaders are aware
of the negative impacts the digital divide has on learning
outcomes, there are numerous other factors being prioritized over
home Internet adoption.
- 86% of educators surveyed elevated student well-being as the
most important issue for schools to address, followed by school
safety, and equity and inclusion more broadly. This places more
emphasis on policymakers, school officials, institutions, and the
private sector to show how digital equity and home broadband
adoption facilitate broader equity issues and level the playing
field for families seeking opportunities for their children.
- Further, coupling Internet access and adoption with an ability
to address other school concerns, such as providing supports for
student well-being and growth, has the ability to keep digital
equity as a top priority for school leaders and help them serve
broader needs for their students.
There is widespread agreement that the pandemic forcefully
evolved and rapidly closed gaps in the digital divide as schools
moved swiftly to remote learning. This cultural shift was met with
success stories of connectivity and technological advancements, but
also shined a light on students and families who did not experience
equitable access to learning because of lack of connectivity or
devices, or other barriers that made remote learning
cumbersome.
This study and partnerships were made possible by Project UP,
Comcast’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and
help build a future of unlimited possibilities. Part of Comcast’s
$1 billion commitment is prioritizing Internet connectivity and its
impact on education. In addition, through providing low-cost
broadband through Internet Essentials to families and the Internet
Essentials Partner Program (IEPP) for schools, Comcast continues to
ensure there are no barriers to home connectivity that could impede
learning.
To review a full copy of the study, please click here.
About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq:
CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the
connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and
experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of
customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class
broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business,
and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment,
sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo,
Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and
attractions to life through Universal Destinations &
Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more
information.
About Discovery Education Discovery Education is the
worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform
supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its
award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports,
innovative classroom tools, and social impact initiatives,
Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning
experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic
achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves
approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students
worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and
territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros.
Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts,
states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading
edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore
the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231003999991/en/
Charlie Douglas Comcast Corporation
Charlie_douglas@comcast.com
Grace Maliska Discovery Education gmaliska@discoveryed.com
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2024 to Jun 2024
Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2023 to Jun 2024