Through various innovative technologies, K-12 education has become more accessible, personalized, and engaging. However, because of digital disparities, these benefits are not consistently available to all learners.
In January 2024, the United States Department of Education (DOE) released new guidelines to ensure that K-12 students have equitable experiences with technology. The 2024 edition of the National Educational Technology Plan (2024 NETP) provides details and solutions for three aspects of digital equity: digital access, digital use, and digital design.
For schools and districts, these recommendations may lead to new protocols for evaluating EdTech tools, new ways to support learning with technology, and ongoing solutions to the digital access divide.
Below, we provide an overview of the 3 areas the plan addresses and 6 of the most significant recommendations.
Key Takeaways
- The 2024 NETP addresses 3 main areas of digital equity: digital use, digital design, and digital access.
- The plan urges schools and educators to use technology as a tool for Universal Design for Learning in order to tailor instruction and assessment to the diverse range of student preferences and abilities.
- The plan references teacher training and professional development as a way to improve the efficacy and accessibility of EdTech tools.
Overview: 3 Digital Divides the 2024 NETP Plan Addresses
The 2024 NETP categorizes digital divides into 3 main categories, outlined below.
- Digital use: The quality and range of experiences students have with classroom technologies and how actively or passively they use them.
- Digital design: Training, support, and resources for teachers to effectively use classroom technology and guide students toward active technology use.
- Digital access: Availability of internet service, devices, accessibility features, safety, and digital citizenship guidelines.
To address these 3 divides, the plan recommends several solutions.
6 Recommendations from the 2024 NETP
The recommendations from the 2024 NETP we cover below may lead to significant changes in how US K-12 schools approach classroom technology.
Support Active Use of Technology
Challenge
One of the disparities the 2024 NETP addresses concerns active versus passive use of classroom technology. In some schools, students use technology for active learning via creative projects, collaboration, and critical media analysis. However, students from historically marginalized backgrounds are less likely to use technology beyond quizzes, digitized worksheets, or other traditional assignments.
Recommendation
The report urges educators to use technology as a tool for Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which involves delivering academic content in multiple formats to support diverse needs and learning preferences.
With EdTech tools, teachers can allow students to choose whether they learn about a concept from a podcast, book, video, or interactive simulation. For summative assessments, students can use EdTech tools to create movies, digital drawings, or audio recordings as alternatives to written assignments and tests.
In districts that implement these guidelines, students will use devices and classroom technologies for a broader range of purposes, increasing the return on investment for 1:1 laptop initiatives and other large-scale technology purchases.
Ensure Digital Tools Meet Accessibility Standards
Challenge
The plan also addresses the accessibility of classroom technologies for individuals with disabilities and English learners. Some EdTech tools lack accessibility features. What’s more, accessibility features and assistive technologies may be incompatible with school devices or blocked by cybersecurity features. EdTech tools may also be incompatible with caregivers’ assistive technologies, limiting their access to school communications.
Recommendation
One solution is for districts to evaluate the accessibility of any prospective technologies during the procurement phase. This process would entail the following steps:
- Create accessibility-focused procurement teams that include IT staff, general and special education teachers, English learning specialists, assistive technology specialists, and other experts.
- Implement accessibility rubrics for evaluating any prospective technology.
- Form advisory groups of students and family members with disabilities or English learning needs. These groups would provide procurement teams with insights about the accessibility standards new EdTech tools should meet.
The DOE also advises each district to create an accessibility directory for all its assistive technologies and EdTech tools. The directory would allow staff, caregivers, and students to easily search the accessibility and language translation features for all the classroom technologies a district has purchased. This solution would help teachers choose the tools that serve the needs of English learners and students with individualized education plans (IEPs).
Increase Educator Support and Training
Challenge
A divide in educator training and support also affects the quality of students’ experiences with classroom technology. The report explains that teachers don’t always receive sufficient training on the functionalities of EdTech tools. Additionally, teachers may lack expertise in the accessibility features that support learners with diverse needs.
Recommendation
To close this divide, the report advocates for ongoing technical support and technology-focused professional learning. One way to achieve this is by vetting EdTech vendors for the quality and level of training they’ll provide during implementation. Districts should also provide training on integrating new EdTech tools into effective instruction.
The 2024 NETP also proposes training teachers on accessibility features of digital learning tools—such as searchable text, highlighting, adjustable font sizes, and captioning in digital textbooks.
In addition, teachers should receive training on designing educational materials (e.g., class websites and homework assignments) that accommodate the diverse needs of students and caregivers. The report references the accessibility training modules from the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials.
Improve Access to High-Speed Internet Outside of School
Challenge
In the ongoing effort to close the digital access divide, the 2024 NETP addresses the current state of student internet access. Although 99.3% of US schools have high-speed internet, 13% US households lack an internet subscription because of cost barriers or geographic location. This inequity limits students’ ability to work on school assignments at home and widens disparities between digital literacy and academic success.
Recommendation
The report advocates partnerships between school districts, internet service providers (ISPs), and other stakeholders to build broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. Another recommendation for underserved areas is wireless hotspots in public spaces—such as school buses—so students can access online materials while off campus.
The DOE also recommends that government programs for low-cost internet service eliminate eligibility barriers, such as credit scores and immigration status. Although the federal program for affordable connectivity expired on June 1, 2024, this recommendation could mean that future programs benefit more students.
Incorporate Digital Citizenship Skills in All Grade Levels and Subject Areas
Challenge
Another challenge the report addresses is digital citizenship, which impacts students’ abilities to use digital tools safely and effectively. The DOE explains that although 94 percent of 8-18-year-olds have smartphones, only 35 percent of US caregivers monitor screen time. Without training in digital citizenship, students are more vulnerable to cybersecurity threats, cyber-bullying, and misinformation and less prepared for the workforce.
Recommendation
The 2024 NETP recommends that schools explicitly teach digital citizenship skills, such as the following:
- Respectful, responsible, and ethical online communication.
- Consequences of posting personal content on social media.
- Citation standards for using or sharing others’ work.
- Critical thinking skills to evaluate information from online sources.
- Best practices for avoiding cyber threats, such as phishing and malware.
- Standards for effective use of generative AI.
These recommendations could result in updated learning standards and curricula in some states.
Establish State and District Edtech Directors
Challenge
Underscoring the digital access, use, and design divides is a lack of state and district EdTech leaders who can ensure successful and cost-effective use of EdTech materials. According to the DOE, 45 percent of US states lack an office for coordinating EdTech.
Recommendation
The DOE advises that an Educational Technology Director should be responsible for the following:
- Develop strategies for deploying and implementing new EdTech tools.
- Advocate for policies and funding to help schools and districts use EdTech effectively.
- Ensure educators and IT staff receive training and professional learning on new EdTech tools.
- Coordinate strategies with general and special education leaders.
- Evaluate the impact of edtech tools on learning, instruction, and administrative processes.
The Bottom Line
By addressing multiple facets of digital equity, the 2024 NETP has the potential to help more learners experience the benefits of classroom technology.
Of the many recommendations in the plan, 6 of the most significant involve active technology use, greater accessibility, educator training, expanded internet access, digital citizenship standards, and EdTech directors.
These recommendations may pave the way for a K-12 system where all learners can thrive in a technology-driven educational landscape.
For more information about tackling digital inequities, see Minimizing Inequalities in Student Access to Exam Technology and other articles in the TAO blog.
FAQs
What factors contribute to the digital access divide in K-12 schools?
Factors such as accessibility features, home internet connection, and digital citizenship skills affect K-12 students’ access to classroom technologies.
What is the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan?
The 2024 NETP is an updated framework to help districts, schools, and educators address digital divides in US K-12 schools. The plan provides recommendations to address disparities in how edtech tools are accessed, used, and designed.
