How Rural Schools Paid for Students’ Home Internet to Transform Learning
Students at Piedmont High School have MacBook Airs that they can take home and use to access information and homework on the Internet. (League of Innovative Schools)
Like many districts serving low-income populations, it was fairly easy for Piedmont City School District officials in Alabama to find funds for devices. District officials wanted to leverage technology to open up opportunities for the 1,240 students in this rural community, so they started sending devices home with kids in grades 4-12 in 2009 through a program they call mPower Piedmont. However, lack of access to the Internet after school and in kids’ homes became a major obstacle to learning with those devices.
At first, teachers tried to work around Internet limitations, letting students download what they’d need for work at home before they left school. Teachers also helped students find places in the community that had free Internet, like restaurants. Downloading content worked for some things, but it didn’t allow students to truly take advantage of digital tools, like interacting with peers, accessing flipped instruction or ...
