How the Homework Gap Impacts Marginalized Students

By: Mei Farina

While school officials and teachers are increasing their reliance on computers in and outside of the classroom, students’ ability to access broadband internet connection has yet to receive urgent attention. According to an Education Week survey, 90% of middle and high schools offer Google Chromebooks to every student. Although adolescents across the United States bring their school-issued Chromebooks and laptops home, do they have the necessary access to internet connection to effectively use their computers?

Unfortunately, marginalized students continue to suffer from the digital divide or, as defined by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, “the disparity in access, knowledge, and ability to use digital tools and technology, particularly harming lower income individuals.” The Covid-19 pandemic illuminated this technological inequity, with over 59% of low-income Americans reported that their children faced digital obstacles while remote learning. Despite this awareness, the digital divide remains a significant barrier to the educational achievement of marginalized children in 2024.

Specifically, the homework gap refers to the academic burden teens face at home when trying to complete assignments without adequate internet access. This can range from using their phones to complete homework to being unable to submit tasks at all. While Chromebooks are innovative tools that enable teachers and students to connect instantaneously, and about 70% of teachers assign homework that requires broadband connectivity, Latinx and Black students at the margins of digital accessibility are unable to reap the benefits of technological innovations. As the Pew Research Center discovered, Black and Hispanic teenagers are over two times as likely to lack access to high-speed internet connection compared to their white counterparts. This disparity raises concerns over minority students’ digital literacy, impacting their ability to communicate through online platforms, search for and retain information, and maintain online privacy.

Marginalized students confronting the homework gap disproportionately face negative academic outcomes. Without stable internet connection, students are less likely to turn in homework, email teachers, or collaborate with classmates on projects. This results in students suffering from the digital divide, receiving lower overall grade point averages and experiencing higher dropout rates. Beyond educational opportunities, access to technology enhances teenagers' chances of employment and allows them to take advantage of resources like telehealth and digital libraries. 

Current initiatives for digital inclusion include federal grants to establish internet connections and efforts by private companies like Lightspeed Digital Insight to expand broadband access. As society and the economy move further into the digital age, access to the internet is a basic human right, necessitating policymakers, technology companies, and educators to collaborate for the benefit of students nationwide.