The Covid-19 pandemic has sent so much of our life online, whether our work, schooling, healthcare, entertainment, or social life.  It has also underlined the importance of removing the digital divide that leaves such large parts of society behind.

The importance of good internet connectivity was underlined by a recent study from Rice University, which showed how academic performance increased when spending was increased on boosting internet access.

The researchers examined 9,000 schools to try and understand how (or even whether) students benefit from increased internet access in public schools.

Internet access

The schools were spread across 1,243 school districts and the researchers examined spending on internet access between 2000-2014 along with measuring 11 academic performance indicators and 47 types of school disciplinary problems.

The researchers found that spending on internet access by school districts was not only linked to higher graduation rates but also higher performance in SAT/ACT tests and the subsequent completion of more advanced courses.  It was also linked to improvement in maths, reading, writing, and social studies.

The rise in internet spending was also associated, however, with rises in disciplinary problems.  These were outweighed by the benefits, however, as the researchers calculated that improved internet access at school will boost the earnings of students throughout their lifetimes.  Indeed, a $600,000 increase in annual internet spending was linked to a financial gain of up to $1.8 million per school district.

“We are proud that Texas public schools can serve as a live learning case for understanding education policy,” the researchers say. “Investments in internet access provide clear and meaningful academic benefits. Yet, schools need to implement policies to address increased disciplinary issues such as cyberbullying.”

“K-12 education has transformed into virtual learning due to COVID-19,” they continue. “Our research conclusions apply to a setting where physical learning is supplemented by internet access.”