LibraryLinkNJ

Survey finds gap in Internet access between rich, poor students

librarylinknj:

libraryadvocates:

Half of all students in higher income families have access to the Internet at home through a computer or mobile device. The figure drops to 20 percent for middle income children and just 3 percent of students from poor homes, according to the survey of 2,462 teachers by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in cooperation with the College Board and National Writing Project.

The growing disparity of Internet access is leading to a gap in performance, about 56 percent of teachers said. About seven in 10 teachers say their students now rely on the Internet to complete their assignments.

“Teachers whose students come from the lowest income households feel they are at a disadvantage,” said Kristen Purcell, an associate director of research at the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

(via WaPo)

Emphasis mine. Would love to see some data on how libraries are stepping in to fill the gap. (If it exists already, please let me know!)

Here are a couple resources that help shed some light on that:

Public Libraries: A Lifeline to Technology Resources

Public Library Funding & Technology Access Survey (PLFTAS)