Addressing the Digital Divide and Pivot to Remote Learning
To address the digital divide that left students, families and schools without remote learning technology during the pandemic, we supported the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) #ConnectMilwaukee campaign to fund technical support and training for staff and teachers. And, as a founding member of the Milwaukee Tech Hub Coalition, we helped provide 100 iPads to MPS middle school students.
According to the MIND Research Institute/ST Math, one of our strategic STEM partners, COVID-related school closures could lead students to fall anywhere from 6 to 12 months behind academically. To help address this learning loss, ST Math offered a variety of free, web-based resources to families. Additionally, we provided 500 units of the South of the Sahara MathMINDs board game free to families served by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee (BGCGM) and 250 more to our partner MPS schools. The game, which we co-developed, combines math, history, and literacy in a highly interactive experience.