By David Nagel, THE Journal
The United States Department of Education has issued guidance to education leaders calling attention to disparities in educational resources along ethnic and economic lines and characterizing such disparities as “potentially … unlawful discrimination.” The list of those disparities explicitly included quantity and quality of technology-based resources available to students. In a 37-page “Dear Colleague” letter sent Wednesday to schools, districts and state agencies, Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights, outlined the various ways in which high-poverty schools and schools serving a large proportion of “students of color” are receiving unequal funding and access to resources, which, according to the latest guidance, is in conflict with federal law. The letter detailed disparities in the quantity and quality of curricular offerings, instructional materials and facilities and focused extensively on access to technology — devices, courseware and infrastructure.
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