A community-wide effort to ensure every single Durham Public School student experiences high-quality digital and remote instruction.

In June of 2020, DPS Foundation launched a major community campaign to support Durham Public Schools in realizing digital equity for every student. This campaign put into action the belief that access to computers and reliable internet is a right for every student, and building technology skills and digital literacy is essential for preparing our students for the workforce.

Update: Campaign Goal Reached & Exceeded

Fewer than 8 months later, we're excited to announce that we have crossed our Campaign goal line – raising more than $1.5 million to help ensure all DPS students have equitable access to the resources needed for high quality digital learning this year and beyond! Read more here.

This was all possible because of a remarkable community response to step in and support our public schools, including Duke University and Duke Health making an early lead gift of $250,000, in addition to generous gifts from 844 other businesses, foundations, civic organizations, faith communities, and individuals.

About the Campaign

Learning losses due to COVID-19 school closures can have lifelong effects on all students, and this campaign has taken immediate steps to lessen the impact. We are especially concerned about devastating increases in already existing gaps for Black and Latinx students, English language learners, students with learning differences, and low-income students. High-quality remote learning in a supportive learning environment is an important strategy to help address learning loss.

With this campaign, we are not only patching a hole that’s been ripped open by the pandemic – we are accelerating a long-overdue response to inequities in schools. A system-wide approach standardizes the devices, infrastructure, and learning management - ensuring equity across the system and opportunity for everyone.

This campaign has taken a holistic view of what's needed for true digital equity by raising flexible funds to support:

• HOPE learning centers: A supervised, supportive academic environment for students who need a safe place for remote learning during the day. DPSF is leading the call for philanthropic funding support, and partner organizations are coordinating efforts to operationalize and manage sites;

• Technical Support and Digital Literacy: IT support and resources for rapid deployment and successful adoption, especially for families that need extra support;

• Ongoing Needs for Student Equipment: Equipment needs that surface as online learning gets underway, such as additional devices and connectivity, to quickly help students succeed;

• Teacher Training Professional development focused on digital learning, including rapid feedback to disseminate best practices in online instruction.

A Campaign that Brought the Community Together

This campaign was made possible because of a remarkable community response to step in and support our public schools, including Duke University and Duke Health making an early lead gift of $250,000, in addition to generous gifts from 844 other businesses, foundations, civic organizations, faith communities, and individuals.

An incredibly dedicated team of 69 Campaign volunteers – led by Co-Chairs Geoff Durham, Zack Hawkins, and Laura Helms Reece – helped galvanize community support for this effort.

Ongoing Needs

Although we've met our initial $1.5 million Accelerating Digital Equity Campaign goal, students will need significant ongoing support during this time of crisis and on the other side of it. So, while this Campaign draws to a close, the community’s support is needed now as much as ever. As part of its ongoing work, the DPS Foundation will continue raising support for broader pandemic recovery needs, anticipated to include:

• Strengthening students’ online learning experience;

• Supporting schools in meeting their reopening needs when in-person learning resumes;

• Providing remediation, acceleration, and social-emotional wellbeing support to students;

• Offering the most vulnerable students free access to Learning Centers;

• Ensuring educators have the support and resources they need, while also mitigating teacher attrition; and

• Supporting broad and deep community engagement around school reopening plans.

Funds raised in this campaign were allocated to the campaign priorities and the operational costs of the campaign (e.g., administration, fundraising), with oversight by the organization's Board and in accordance with guidelines of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and National Council of Nonprofits.

Questions?

Read our FAQs or contact Katie Spencer Wright, Development and Communications Specialist at katie@bullcityschools.org.