Operation Lemonade
The Digital Divide and Coronavirus — it was a time to make Lemonade!
Covid-19, of course, made the digital divide much more starkly visible and costly for lower-income learners of all ages. But, truth is, the digital divide had for some time made it hard for one-fifth of the nation’s lower-income and rural learners of all ages to learn, find out about and apply for living-wage jobs, and prepare and qualify for them. Digital equity is essential for educational and economic opportunity.
With generous support, NCDE and our partners made great strides toward eliminating the digital divide for lower-income students in Manchester NH, making learning opportunities even better than they were before the Coronavirus crisis.
Banks, credit unions and foundations made it possibly to purchase over 490 new computers for home use by lower-income K12 students in Manchester. Our collaborative effort earned national recognition from the State Education Technology Directors Association for excellence, innovation, and impact in digital equity.
