The new school year starts soon
There are many inequities in life. But few threaten an entire generation of underserved San Franciscans like the digital divide in our public schools. Every student without access to a computer, the internet, and the technology support they need to use it is denied the opportunity to succeed. And low-income students are the hardest hit by this inequity.
It’s unfair. It’s unacceptable. And we can fix it now, before the bell rings.
To appreciate the impact you can have on the future of San Francisco you must know the extent of the crisis today.
Digital learning is the new normal
Even without the pandemic, the reality is that middle and high school students in the 21st century must have a computer and internet service to fully participate in public education. With the distance learning required by COVID-19, elementary students and their families also need tech access and support.
The state offers no funding to ensure that all public school students have equal access to digital learning
SFUSD estimates that its response to the pandemic will generate millions of dollars in new unfunded costs. Because of the economic fallout from the pandemic, local and state funding has decreased steeply. There is no budget from the State of California, the county, or the city to guarantee that all San Francisco students have equal access to their education.
55,000 students are served by SFUSD
Our student population is a vibrant community of cultures, races, customs and languages, educated in one of the most dynamic cities on the planet. They will be a force that shapes tomorrow … if we step up for them today.
55% live at or below poverty level
Over half of our students – 30,270 kids – live in poverty. Most of them in under-resourced parts of our city. Education is key to giving them the tools they need to succeed. And technology is essential for providing an education that prepares them for college, careers, and beyond.
40% have inadequate computer access
Approximately 22,000 of our students have insufficient access to a computer for distance learning, for hybrid in-school/online learning as schools reopen, and for the tech requirements of middle and high school once the pandemic is over. The digital divide is placing close to half our student population at risk.
25% have no reliable internet access
Even if they have a working computer, how will these 13,750 students join their classmates for distance learning when the bell rings? How will they keep up later on? Sitting for hours outside a library or cafe to use the WiFi is an unfair and unsustainable burden for older students and an impossible task for younger ones. Without internet access, students will be literally cut off from their education.
100% DESERVE EQUAL ACCESS, ALWAYS
It’s time to show the world where our true priorities lie – with our kids. All of them.
In response to COVID last spring, we made progress addressing tech inequity by distributing 13,000 Chromebooks and 3,500 internet hotspots to students. But this first distribution focused only on grades 3-12. As we launch the new school year in distance learning, we must also ensure grades PK-2 have the tech access to connect with their teachers and classmates.
With the PK-2 inequity exceeding 40%, thousands of our youngest learners are without access. SFUSD is raising $25 million to meet this immediate need and establish a sustainable solution to tech inequity in San Francisco’s public schools.
SFUSD is partnering with Bay Area industry leaders, and others who want to be agents of change during this pivotal moment, to put essential technology in the hands of the kids who need it most.
We’re not looking to return to “normal.” This moment is an opportunity to reimagine our society and build a better, more equitable one. The call for social justice and the power of education to transform lives make this initiative more urgent than ever.
Let’s close the digital divide right now.
The SF Unified Access initiative is more than a plan – it’s a transformation. By eliminating tech inequity, our school district is moving closer to a truly unified district, where every student has equal access to a 21st-century education.
The first step? Giving underserved students the tech tools they need for learning:
A laptop computer
A “hotspot” providing reliable internet access regardless of where they live
Ongoing tech instruction and support for students and families
Language support for English learner students and their families, who make up 29% of our student population
Teacher training to ensure effective use of this technology
Systems, tools, and resources to deliver this tech and support to students and teachers
To eliminate the digital divide in San Francisco schools, we must equip 22,400 students with technology and support.
Help us provide this critical access so every student in our city can learn, grow, and give back to their community.
Invest in the future of San Francisco.
From Distance Learning to Deeper Learning
Our initiative to ensure tech access will also power a fundamental shift in SFUSD to a creative and purposeful curriculum that delivers a deeper learning experience.
Giving all students access to essential technology gives educators the opportunity to
individualize instruction
promote collaboration
inspire understanding versus knowledge
encourage independence
cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills
create learning experiences that honor the identities and communities of students, giving them a greater sense of agency and belonging
At SFUSD, we call this Deeper Learning. And the technology that makes Distance Learning possible is key to the district's shift to Deeper Learning.
In essence, Deeper Learning helps us meet our students where they are while providing a path to a future where they each intentionally and clearly belong.
Be a part of this historic achievement
#sfunifiedaccess
Frequently Asked Questions
One question you should have, and a few you might
Why isn’t the state paying for this?
Private support is critical to successfully eliminating the digital divide because public funding is neither flexible nor great enough to provide a comprehensive solution to addressing the problem as we begin the school year in distance learning.
Although some public funding may be used, it is only partial and doesn’t address the full scope of need facing students and families. Additionally, SFUSD had a $22.6 million deficit before the COVID-19 pandemic required distance learning. It now faces up to an additional $40 million more in deficits due to the economic impact of the pandemic requiring cuts to curriculum development, professional development, and training for teachers as well as cuts to the Department of Technology, all of which are now more important than ever.
How will you identify students who are “in need”?
SFUSD conducted wellness checks at the end of the 2020 school year that included assessing students for access to technology and home connectivity. Of the student populations surveyed, English Language Learners, Special Education, Homeless, Foster Care, African American, and Asian and Pacific Islanders, totaling 13,400, identified as lacking access to a device or connectivity or needing technological support with distance learning. An additional 9,000 students also identified as needing access to technology and support.
How and when will the technology be given out?
SFUSD will use the same distribution methods, processes, and procedures it used when it implemented distance learning last March, deploying more than 13,000 Chromebooks and 3,500 hotspots.
Families fill out an online form on the SFUSD website identifying their needs. The appropriate technology is then distributed at school sites or delivered to students with disabilities and special needs who are unable to come to a school site.
Currently, orders of Chromebooks and hotspots are underway. We expect devices to arrive late summer and will be distributed in late August and September.
How will families request or receive tech support at home?
Families can request support through the online Family Resource Link on the SFUSD website, by calling the Technology Help Desk, or through their child’s teacher. Support is provided in multiple languages.
What kind of training and support will teachers get?
SF Unified Access will provide teachers with the necessary training and professional development they need to use the technologies provided for instruction, including coaching and lesson design. Teachers will be trained on using technology for personalized and deeper learning instruction as well as providing them with online resources and support through the SFUSD website.
Who is working on this initiative?
SFUSD’s Departments of Technology, Curriculum and Instruction, Strategic Partnerships and Communications, as well as Spark* SF Public Schools and funders interested in eliminating the digital divide, are working together to build a broad and sustainable coalition of partners to support SF Unified Access.
Can I specify that my donation go to support the initiative at my local school?
Eliminating the digital divide is a whole-system, comprehensive approach and as such this initiative is not designed to be school-site specific.
Does this initiative include San Francisco charter school students?
No, the initiative is not designed to include charter schools within SFUSD.
Is my donation tax-deductible? How much of it actually goes to purchasing computers and hotspots for the kids?
Yes, your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. Spark* SF Public Schools, SFUSD’s non-profit 501(c)(3), will accept your donation and provide you with a tax receipt. 96.82% of your donation made during the 2020-21 school year will go directly to providing distance learning for SFUSD’s students.
Is there any cost involved for the students, families, or teachers?
No, there is no cost for students, families, or teachers. The cost of the technology needed for equitable access to education is prohibitive for the students and families who are furthest from opportunity. More than 55% of SFUSD’s students live at or below the poverty line.
How much will it cost to continue the initiative from year to year? Is this really sustainable for the long term?
After the initial $25 million investment in school years 2020-21 and 2021-22, annual ongoing costs are projected to be $6.8M. SFUSD will continue to advocate for the appropriation of public funds and will work with business partners and city government to maintain and expand access for SFUSD students.
what will it take to permanently close the digital divide?
The third report in a series about the digital divide for students and teachers put together by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Common Sense, in partnership with EducationSuperHighway and Southern Education Foundation (SEF), can be found here.
How can I show my support even if I can’t donate at this time?
Promote #sfunifiedaccess on social media
Ask your personal network – friends, family, and colleagues – to donate
Ask your company or business to donate
Contact Colm Hegarty at (415) 241-5578 or hegartyc@sfusd.edu to learn about other ways to support