Limiting the Ability to Learn

In Southern California and more specifically in the Los Angeles area, there are communities that fall under the category of being impoverished or are considered socioeconomically disadvantaged where access to quality education might be limited or inaccessible. We feel that all growing minds are deserving more access to proper, quality learning experiences. Youth growing up without these things are more at risk of having a reduced quality of life. Access to proper tools and resources improves the likeliness that they can position themselves for greater success for the road ahead.

In Our Neighborhood

Furthermore, research conducted through the University of California and the California Emerging Technology Fund* indicates that progress has been made in regards to the percentage of Californians that have access to the internet. However, it remains true that low-income households are at a clear disadvantage when it comes to connectivity, as income is directly related to broadband access. More specifically, students at the second largest school district in the nation, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), are particularly at the mercy of education inequality as a result of the digital divide.

While many students in LAUSD schools without access to the internet were provided with hotspots and laptop devices, there has not been enough broadband infrastructure to support the use of this technology. Research conducted by the SURGE project and SoLa I CAN Foundation* found that 87% of students in the 13 largest LAUSD high schools lack access to tech-related activities.

Additional sources of data among LAUSD students when referring to their Smarter Balanced Assessment Criteria (SBAC) scores and school climate survey feedback will also show areas in which gaps in both instructional materials and resources are present. These types of surveys also help to highlight a school body as a type of resource and the evidence of staff-to-student ratio imabalances.