TPS Teachers Say 'Digital Divide' Hurting Some Students' Test Scores

Most Tulsa Public Schools teachers – nearly three out of four – said the gap is increasing between poor students and those with access to technology. Some call it a digital divide.

Students at Lee Elementary have access to a computer at school, but teachers said kids who cannot use them outside the classroom have a harder time keeping up and test poorly.

Math teacher Richard Carter said time in the computer lab is precious for his fourth and fifth grade students.

He agrees with the some 84 percent of surveyed TPS teachers who said access to technology is crucial to students' success.

“The schools that have it, the parents that have it the families that have it; it builds the education level to get us to the next century, to get us to the next point where we need to be," Carter said.

Last year, voters passed a $38 million Smart & Secure Schools bond, which emphasized classroom technology.

"Chris Payne with Tulsa Public Schools said, “We are about halfway through the implementation of that, but we wanted to ask teachers where they think we are as far as technology."

One teacher surveyed said:

"Poverty-level students come into school having no prior technology exposure. This greatly impacts their test scores, since they are computer-based. Use of a computer mouse requires fine motor skill development that disadvantaged students are not exposed to."

Of those surveyed, 73 percent said it's important for students to have access to a computer, laptop or tablet at home.

“I would say that a child that comes from a home that does not have technology is probably a solid year to two behind,” Carter said.

He said the digital divide is hard to compute, but he can see the differences in the classroom. It's magnified when children are under pressure.

He points out students are expected to test and eventually fill out job applications on a computer, so being familiar with them is key.

“We can start by trying to get closer to a one on one device to student in the building. We were just in a lab where we have one on one, but that's one classroom,” Carter said.

Tulsa schools did the survey to help the committee that decides how bond money is spent.

They'll finalize their recommendations for a 2015 bond issue later this month.

Superintendent Keith Ballard expects about 25 percent of it will go toward technology.