3 Ways Businesses Can Supply Refurbished Computers to Students in Need

Published: 10/28/2021

This month is National Computer Learning Month to encourage computer use in all creative and productive educational areas. It also focuses on students that don’t have technology opportunities outside of school. Businesses can participate by supplying refurbished computers to students caught in the digital divide.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the digital divide. Future Ready recently reported that 3.6 million households do not have a computer, putting nearly 7.3 million children at an academic disadvantage. The gap is especially prevalent for students of color and those in lower-income families.

Low-Income Students Lack a Home Computer

The cruelest part of the digital divide, the homework gap, continues even though most public school students in the United States have returned to in-person learning this school year. The homework gap is especially concerning for students of color and those in lower-income households in rural areas. National School Boards Association confirmed that 96 percent of school districts said that some teachers assign homework, which requires internet use to complete.

According to a current Pew Research survey, black teens and those living in lower-income households were more likely to say they could not complete homework assignments because they had no reliable access to a computer or internet connection. A quarter of lower-income teens do not have access to a computer at home. One-in-four teens in households with an annual income under $30,000 lack internet access, in addition to a computer at home, compared with just 4 percent of those in households earning more than $75,000.

To compound the issue, technologies in education are constantly evolving. By not addressing the digital divide, students in lower-income households are at an even greater risk of falling further behind.

Advantages of Technology in Education

The Department of Education supports the necessity to get technology into the hands of students. The use of technology in teaching and learning can achieve significant improvements in productivity by:

• Infusing classrooms with digital learning tools, such as computers and handheld devices.
• Expanding course offerings, experiences and learning materials.
• Supporting learning 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Building 21^stcentury skills.
• Increasing student engagement and motivation.
• Accelerating learning.

Furthermore, technology can transform teaching by using a new model of connected education. It links teachers to their students, professional content, resources and systems to help them improve their instruction and personalize learning.

Having access to technology in education is vital for student achievement. The Consortium for School Networking reported that high-quality devices are essential to instruction for many reasons, especially in lower grade levels that are more dependent on synchronous video. Additionally, students need technology for career technical education at the secondary grade levels, which may require devices that depend on higher-processor applications.

Issues Contributing to the Digital Divide

As per the latest Education Week report, schools are still feeling the effects of supply chain issues from the early days of the pandemic, when factories were running out of the materials needed to make laptop computers fast enough for them to be shipped on time. Nearly a third of survey respondents said they still haven’t received all the technology items they ordered during the pandemic.

Thus, districts started getting creative by expanding technology access during the pandemic through:

• Partnering with local businesses and Native American communities.
• Distributing devices and hotspots.
• Paying for families’ internet service.

However, a Common Sense Media report stated an annual, ongoing cost of $4 billion to $8 billion—or $280 to $550 per student—is required to keep the divide closed permanently. An additional $2 billion is needed to cover the cost of laptops and tablets.

Significance of Closing the Digital Divide

Although the pandemic brought the digital divide to light, it’s been around since the mid-1990s. CNET recently reported the importance of solving the digital divide issue for schoolchildren for several reasons:

• Access to broadband and affordable devices can solve the broader digital divide by providing greater access to employment opportunities, job training and remote health care for all Americans.
• Equal access to distance learning for all students ensures workforce development and readiness for the next generation of Americans.
• Access to quality education can help break the cycles of poverty.

A lack of technology can perpetuate poverty by limiting opportunities for future success. The internet and a computer are essential to complete homework and apply or attend an online college. Eventually, to submit a job application.

Businesses Can Help Close the Digital Divide

Millions of unused and retired IT devices are collecting dust in U.S. businesses and homes. Through the Digital Dreams Project, businesses can supply refurbished devices to students in need and contribute to closing the digital divide in three ways:

• Directly trading in computers.
• Initiating idle device collection drives.
• Making a financial contribution.

PlanITROI started the Digital Dreams Project to support its mission to bridge the digital divide with affordable technology. Through its non-profit collaborations, including Take on Race and Microsoft’s Airband Initiative, PlanITROI builds mission-driven partnerships. As a result, these organizations are creating a more digitally inclusive world by providing free and low-cost devices to communities of color.

PlanITROI offers a turn-key program with several participation levels, including virtual or in-person drives. This process maximizes the value of underused or end-of-life IT equipment. In addition, participating in the Digital Dreams Project is an easy entry point into tackling digital inequity and satisfying CSR and ESG governance goals.

A long-term partner to leading corporations, educational institutions, device OEMs and non-profit organizations, PlanITROI has strict data security processes. Perfected over two decades, PlanITROI ensures that all data, on all devices, is completely erased to NIST 800-88 standards.

Do you want to learn more about how to supply refurbished computers to students in need? Contact us today to start the process.