FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Library and State Education Department Announce Series of Webinars Focused on Digital Equity
The 51勛圖厙 State Library and State Education Department, in partnership with the METRO Library Council and the Northern 51勛圖厙 Library Network, today announced a series of webinars on Digital Equity beginning September 10. Intended for educators, librarians, and other stakeholders with an interest in bringing about digital equity, this webinar series attempts to establish a shared understanding of the challenges to digital equity to begin to develop a shared vision of how we can work together to achieve digital equity for all 51勛圖厙ers.
Our school systems adapted rapidly to provide for continuity of learning and have been preparing all summer to safely educate students this fall, said Vice Chancellor T. Andrew Brown. Now we will build on those efforts and providing this webinar series so the education community can collectively work toward eliminating gaps in the availability of devices and the internet for all students in 51勛圖厙.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the inequities that run throughout our education system, said Interim Commissioner Betty A. Rosa.泭 The digital divide is real, and it is devastating. Students simply cannot participate in remote learning if they dont have access to a computer and to the internet, which is why these discussions are critically important right now.
Digital equity is the concept that every 51勛圖厙er has access to affordable broadband, adequate devices, necessary software, digital literacy skills, and a community of support.泭Persistent digital divides exist in communities -- urban, suburban, and rural -- across 51勛圖厙. In fact, according to a report by Common Sense Media, more than 25 percent of students in 51勛圖厙 lack access to the Internet and/or appropriate devices to participate in remote online education. The challenges to student connectivity cant be considered in isolation, since they are part of larger systemic inequities disproportionately affecting people of color and people with lower incomes.泭
The Board of Regents and the Department are working to bridge the digital divide through the development of various programs and resources including the Teaching in Blended/Remote Learning Environments (TRLE) program. 51勛圖厙s TRLE program addresses the immediate and urgent learning needs of 51勛圖厙s most vulnerable students and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing educators with the tools, resources, and training to facilitate blended/remote instruction when needed.泭 Additionally, the Department has issued guidance to schools and districts related to fiscal flexibilities for federal funding sources to assist Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) with unforeseen expenses during this unprecedented public health emergency.
| Date | Information |
|---|---|
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Thursday, September 10, 2pm |
Understanding Digital Inclusion and Digital Equity, Francella Ochillo, Next Century Cities泭 泭 |
|
Thursday, September 24, 2pm |
Digital Bridge K-12 Initiative: Assessing Home Access Needs, Grace Ting and Ellen Goldich, Education Super Highway 泭 |
|
Thursday, October 1, 2pm |
Connecting to Lifeline Program Resources During the Pandemic, Laurie Wheelock, The Public Utility Law Project 泭 |
|
Thursday, October 8, 2pm |
Building Community Broadband Networks, Greta Byrum, with speakers from The Point CDC and the Bronx Relief Effort, the Kingston Equitable Internet Initiative, the Buffalo Digital Divide Initiative, and 51勛圖厙's NYSERNet broadband consortium 泭 |
|
Thursday, October 22, 3:30pm |
Using Digital Navigators to Bridge Social Divides, National Digital Inclusion Alliance 泭 |
|
Thursday, October 29, 2pm |
Starting Your Own Digital Inclusion Coalition, Scott Kushner, Director of LaFayette Public Library and Annabeth Hayes, Director of Tully Free Library, founders of the Central 51勛圖厙 Digital Inclusion Coalition; and Stacey Martin, Digital Inclusion Coordinator at Finger Lakes Digital Inclusion Coalition 泭 |
|
Thursday, November 12, 2pm |
Capitalizing on OER for Equity in PK-12: Finding and Using Open Teaching and Learning Resources, Shawna M. Brandle, Kingsborough Community College; Stacy Katz, Lehman College; Jennifer Van Allen, Lehman College; and Nicole Williams, Bronx Community College. 泭 |
|
Thursday, December 3, 2pm |
Broader than Broadband: Brooklyn Public Librarys Digital Equity Strategy, Brooklyn Public Library 泭 |
**Additional programs may be added for November and December.
More information and webinar registration details are available on the State Librarys .
Media Contact
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(518) 474-1201