With Digital Equity Outreach Month wrapping up last week, nearly half of school districts have started sending Digital Equity Gap Data through their local student information system (SIS) via WISEdata!  We encourage districts to continue collecting and transmitting this data by enabling the data flow in your SIS to pinpoint areas of Wisconsin with digital equity gaps. DPI is planning a new state dashboard to track our collective progress.  Districts that have sent their data through WISEdata can also view their own data in the WISEdash (For Districts) Digital Equity Dashboard.

As a reminder, the Digital Equity Gap Data can be used to:

1. Ensure you are able to track and support the needs of every student
2. Identify possible Internet providers that can serve a student location
3. Provide local community partners with critical data needed when submitting broadband grant applications
4. Advocate and plan for broadband investments in your community 
5. Fulfill any state or federal reporting requirements which may arise with CARES and e-Rate funding

$2M Discount Program and ESH Mapping Tool

For districts that have transmitted their data through their SIS via WISEdata, DPI is utilizing EducationSuperHighway’s (ESH) mapping tool to visualize where your unconnected students are and overlay Internet service providers who can connect those students. Districts can begin using the mapping tool by adding a read-only subscription to EducationSuperHighway in the WISEdata Ed-Fi Credential application. For complete instructions, refer to the Ed-Fi Credential tutorial. 

These maps identify available options, helping districts to leverage the newly available CARES funds and discounted Internet services available through DPI and CESA Purchasing’s Digital Learning Bridge Program.  

Tools & Resources  

We have made the process of collecting the Digital Equity Gap data efficient with a variety of Internet Survey Tools:

1. DPI provided common questions for districts to create their own survey
2. DPI provided English/Spanish Qualtrics survey  
3. SIS or other messenger app built-in features to survey families (e.g., during annual online registration)

ESH created a helpful playbook with best practice guidance, tools, and resources to support districts with conducting effective outreach campaigns to collect this critical Digital Equity Gap data. If you have any questions about the playbook, you can set up a free consultation call with their team!

If you need additional guidance, please email [email protected] for assistance.