concept-paper

TechEquity concept paper describing an integrated strategy to address the digital equity crisis in Oakland & the East Bay.

The Problem: There is a digital equity crisis in the Oakland and the East Bay and students from under-resourced neighborhoods, often Black or Latino, suffer the most from the resulting opportunity divide. They lack sufficient access to good, working computing devices and comprehensive academic programs that bridge school to career pathways.

For example, approximately 40% of Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) students do not have computers connected to high-speed Internet when at home, limiting their ability to do homework, write papers, apply to colleges, research career opportunities, and practice professional skills.

A Solution: In response, the East Bay Broadband Consortium (EBBC) is launching a TechEquity Initiative (TechEquity) in Oakland and the East Bay to assist students to:

• Obtain free or very low cost Internet at home, a free computer loaded with software, and free training and tech support.

• Participate in during-school and after-school programs offering personalized on-line learning in reading and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), as well as in tech career pathways and tech entrepreneurship.

• Find mentors, internships, and jobs in the tech industry.

• Ultimately, if appropriate, start-up tech-related businesses.

A Strategy: There are a large number of tech-related education non-profits and other programs and organizations that are doing a good job of addressing different aspects of the digital equity crisis in Oakland and the East Bay or are highly relevant to its resolution, but they are not well coordinated and integrated. A TechEquity Initiative, formed as a consortium of these organizations can:

• Organize a Summit to bring together the various programs and organizations working on these issues to share information, enhance collaboration, and encourage coordinated actions.

• Publish a Guide to promote tech-related education, describe the various tech-related education programs and organizations first in Oakland and subsequently in other areas of the East Bay, and assist students to access the program or programs best suited to their needs.

• Encourage expansion of tech-related afterschool programs and mentoring and internship programs for Oakland students and, later, for students in other East Bay cities.

• Undertake aggressive coordinated outreach to Oakland students initially and then East Bay students to encourage them to take full advantage of the opportunities for tech-elated education.

The goal of this TechEquity Initiative is to assist as many as possible of under-resourced Oakland and, subsequently, East Bay students—particularly students of color—to acquire digital literacy, move to digital mastery, and, if appropriate, explore a tech career pathway leading to an internship, a job, and, perhaps, tech entrepreneurship

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#Table of Contents

Summary

I. The Digital Equity Crisis in Oakland and the East Bay

II. Organizations Addressing the Digital Equity Crisis

III. Strategic Framework for the TechEquity Initiative

IV. Initial TechEquity Projects

V. Structure and Roles

VI. Timeline

VII. Conclusion

Appendix 1. A Listing of Organizations Addressing the Digital Equity Crisis