Boston Official Pushes for More Transparency on School Tech

(TNS) — Boston City Councilor  Andrea Campbell  is pushing for more data on technology distribution for BPS students as classes go fully remote, but the district said more than 40,000 Chromebooks have been handed out.

"Today's announcement that BPS is returning to all-remote learning makes it all the more important that Mayor Walsh and Superintendent Cassellius address the disturbing racial divide in access to remote instruction," Campbell said in a statement.

Boston Public Schools announced Wednesday classes would go fully remote due to rising COVID rates in the city.

Campbell, referencing BPS data obtained last month by Lawyers for Civil Rights, said, "Despite BPS's promise that all students in need of a Chromebook would receive one, data from September showed that in some majority Black and Latinx schools, as many as 80 percent of the requests for Chromebooks were not fulfilled."

She added that those numbers were even worse among students with disabilities.

"BPS should release updated numbers on device distribution and internet access on a regular, recurring basis as long as schools are fully remote," Campbell said.

In April, Campbell filed a resolution that the City Council passed unanimously that requested BPS share data on remote learning access.

BPS spokesman  Xavier Andrews  said 43,897 Chromebooks have been distributed so far and many students have their own technology at home and therefore do not need a Chromebook.

He said "every student who doesn't have a device has one waiting for them," and families can coordinate times to pick one up at their school building.

The district has been monitoring students' digital footprint to see who may be in need of technology, according to Andrews.

When asked if any outstanding requests for Chromebooks or internet access remained at any schools, BPS was not able to provide an immediate answer.

Janelle Dempsey , Lawyers for Civil Rights fellow, said the organization is pleased to know BPS increased access to Chromebooks.

But she said, "Having a functional Chromebook is just one factor that contributes to the racialized Digital Divide though — students and parents need to understand how to use the technology, and families need reliable internet access."

Dempsey said LCR will continue to monitor all factors that impact remote learning as students will be learning from home, at least part time, for the foreseeable future.

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