Last spring, Rocketship Public Schools D.C. sprinted into action to make sure that students in the three communities we serve could quickly pivot to distance learning after the COVID-19 pandemic forced our physical doors to close. Now, more than a year later, Rocketship schools are phasing in a return to campus for many students as more and more teachers, staff, and community members are vaccinated. Even though we transitioned overnight to distance learning last year, recovery will take time, and some members of our community will continue to learn online.

That’s why it’s so important that we confront a deep inequality in our public education system, which was revealed by the pandemic but had long been lurking beneath the surface for many students in our city: the digital divide. While the quick pivot to online learning was challenging for everyone, many students from under-resourced communities lacked access to devices and quality, high-speed internet, making the transition for these students practically impossible. And even though we took matters into our own hands and found ways to meet many of our families’ needs, we haven’t closed the digital divide; schools and school systems simply cannot close the divide alone.