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.

As of June 2021, we have awarded more than $1.53 million for digital equity projects. Read on below to learn about digital equity initiatives being piloted and supported through ADE funds.

Accelerating Digital Equity Funded Initiatives

Recently-Funded Initiatives

The increased use of digital paperwork, communication, and student learning platforms is unlikely to ever return to pre-covid norms, so it is critical that we provide families with the baseline tools they need to access information, submit paperwork, communicate, and support student learning effectively. We’ve awarded $60,000 to DPS for Parent/Caregiver Digital Literacy training series. This one year pilot offered in Spanish and English will create a sustainable digital literacy training program for caregivers in Durham Public Schools. 

Ignite! Online Academy is incubating scalable innovations that can impact all DPS students through  e-learning course offerings, sharing of digital teaching and learning expertise, and the creation of industry partnerships. We’ve awarded $98,000 to Ignite! Online Academy for designing, building, and running innovative e-learning courses that will be available to students across DPS, providing all students with online options and flexibility on their path to graduation. Funds will also support workshops to build parent and caregiver digital literacy.

All Initiatives

ACcelerating Digital Equity School Fund

The ADE School Fund provided $170,000 to 28 projects at 23 schools. Funds were used to purchase items like headphones and styluses, support events like a virtual staff retreat, virtual performances and a speaker series, and develop a peer mentoring program for Latinx students.

Left: Sherwood Githens Middle School students receiving headphones and lap desks through their school’s ADE-funded project.

Computers & Equipment

In August and September of 2020, the ADE fund provided nearly $70,000 to DPS, allowing the district to quickly purchase Chromebooks locally when trade sanctions resulted in a device shortage for school districts across the country.

Digital Platforms for Advanced Course Equity

DPS’ Advanced Course Equity Collaborative supported teachers in developing skills in DPS’s new online learning platforms with the goal of creating more pathways for students to take advanced courses. This project is strengthening the academic experience of some of our most marginalized students in DPS through the pandemic and it is also creating systemic change in helping our school district more equitably prepare all students for success.

Smart Classroom Technology

New smart classroom technology is allowing DPS to create dynamic teaching and learning spaces and extend the reach of highly-effective teachers. This includes a remote class equipped for teaching of students at locations across DPS, a medium hybrid class that allows for remote students to engage simultaneously with in-person students, and a remote professional learning teams room for teacher training.

IT Help Desk Internships

IT Help Desk internships have added capacity to the DPS Help Desk while also giving DPS students professional training and a living-wage paid internship. DPS has plans to continue this program, which was piloted with ADE campaign funds.

Left: IT intern Le’lah McKoy, now a senior at JD Clement Early College High School, with Joy Malone is the Executive Director of Information Technology at DPS.

Accelerating Digital Equity projects are recommended by the ADE Allocation Committee for approval by the DPS Foundation’s Board of Directors.

More 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 during school closures and beyond.

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 needed a safe place for remote learning during school closures. DPSF lead the call for philanthropic funding support, and partner organizations coordinated 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.

  The impact of Durham’s investment in our public schools doesn’t stop now that students are back in the classrooms. Accelerating the digital transformation of DPS has launched a long-overdue response to inequities in our schools.

  • DPS is now a 1:1 district with a computer for every student and digital literacy initiatives are empowering students and families to use these powerful tools. 

  • Every teacher has and is gaining more skills in remote and digital instruction. 

  • And new initiatives focused on personalized, project-based learning are taking us beyond the urgency of our current situation to create new opportunities for everyone. 

    
    

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 to support broader pandemic recovery needs, anticipated to include:

• Strengthening students’ online learning experience;

• Supporting needs now that schools are open, including outdoor learning and eating.

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

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